CTMH Embossing fun

On July 27, 2014 By patriciamanhireIn Babies, Cardmaking, Close to My Heart, Dry embossing9 Comments

Hello again

This week I have been busy playing with the embossing folders that Close to My Heart started carrying at the beginning of the year. If you look through my archives you will notice that a lot of my cards have embossing on them. Embossing adds the finishing touch to cards and can lift the card from a plain and boring card to something quite different again. I have a number of different folders which are all good, but the CTMH embossing folders are great as they already have a slot at the end to pass cardstock through, opening up all sorts of different possibilities. It makes it much easier to use different folders on different areas on your cardstock, which is what I have done with the following cards.

I am running low on baby cards so have been using up the last of my Lollydoodle stash as these colours are perfect for baby cards and you can pick up a number of different colours with them. For this card I have used the stripe folder at the bottom and the dot folder for the top on a piece of 4 x 5 1/4″ White Daisy cardstock . I used the stripe folder first and you get a lovely embossed edge when only partially embossing the cardstock. I then turned the cardstock around and used the spot folder for the top. I have used my ruler to measure `2 1/4 from the edge for the first lot of embossing and then 1 1/2 ” from the edge for the dot embossing folder. There is 3/4″ gap which I have used the dotted Lollydoodle paper as a trim matted with Cotton Candy cardstock. I have used the images available with the Cricut machine for the title. The pram has been cut using the Artiste cartridge and cutting out wedge to create the shape. The purchased this ribbon a couple of months ago with the special packs and I love the colour of this ribbon even though it takes dye very well. I used Liquid Glass for adhering the ribbon, pleating as I went along. I then cut a thin strip of Cotton Candy cardstock to put over the top and then put the Bitty Sparkles on it. The wheels have been cut with an image from the Cricut machine and topped with

For this card I have used the same technique with the stripe and chevron folders. The pin has been cut using the Artiste cartridge and next time I will do it a little smaller. The rattle has been coloured using the new Touch markers that will be coming out next month. More about them later.

This card is elegant in it’s simplicity. I am not sure what sentiment I want to put on the card and I think sometimes it is nice to have a card without anything, so people can put their own thoughts on it. The butterfly has been cut using the Artiste cartridge and finished off with clear sparkles.

Finally, I love this card. I have kept to a very simple colour scheme using the now retiring Twilight cardstock and the Twilight and white spotted Lollydoodle paper. The chevron embossed white cardstock makes a perfect background to the images cut from the Artiste cartridge. This pattern from the Make it From Your Heart Volume 2 is so wonderful and versatile and is perfect for this design.

Materials used:

Cardstock – Twilight, Cotton Candy, Hollyhock, White Daisy, Slate

Paper – Lollydoodle

Stamps – B is For Baby

Embossing Folders – Stripe, Chevron, Dot

Cricut cartridges – Artiste and Art Philosophy

Sparkles – Bitty and Clear Sparkles

Ribbon – dye ready (NLA)

Aqua Dots

Ariana Assortment

ShinHan Twin Touch markers – Marigold, Cheery Pink Peacock Green, Tender Pink, Leaf Green

Durables – round antiqued gold

Liquid Glass

This Lollydoodle paper and Twilight cardstock is only available until the end of the month and if you would like to purchase some you only have 4 days left to order some here.

Just a quick note about embossing CTMH cardstock. There is a grain with the card and it is best to go with the grain for embossing. For further information about this please visit the YouTube channel here.

I have another project that I have been working on and hope I can finish it in the next day or so and share it on here. I just have some logistics to sort out first and need daylight to finish it.

I will not be doing the Australasian SOTM blog hop this month, but I am hoping that I can join another blog hop showcasing the wonderful new products coming in the new Annual Inspirations book starting on the 1st August.

I hope you have a good week.

Happy crafting.

Patricia

One of the Bucket List

On July 19, 2014 By patriciamanhireIn Cardmaking, Die Cuts6 Comments

Welcome

I was very excited to come home the other day to find this in the post for me.

Prior to starting with CTMH I submitted several cards to Kalsbeek Crafts and they have finally been published in the new magalogue that has just come out. I have bought a lot from Toni Kalsbeek and found her to be very efficient and pleasant to deal with. Please check out her website at http://www.kalsbeek.co.nz for the huge range of products she has available.

I can now say that I have published my work and tick it of the bucket list. Now I have to work out what is next to tick off.

Happy Crafting

Patricia

CTMH Touch Markers

On July 19, 2014July 19, 2014 By patriciamanhireIn Cardmaking, Close to My Heart, Stamping2 Comments

Hello again I have been eagerly awaiting my order with new products from the new Annual Inspirations book, and after a little glitch and some help from Santa’s sleigh in getting my order through Customs, picked up by the courier company in Auckland and arriving in Wellington in 2 hours, (normally this takes over 24 hours) I have finally started to play with my new toys. My family had to prize me away from the catalogue in order to have tea! There are so many gorgeous products coming and my wish list really does not match my budget. I have bought a couple of new paper packs and I will look at posting my efforts with them at another time. But what I have been waiting so long for is the new ShinHan Touch markers. I have done a lot of research since CTMH announced we would be carrying these markers and I am very pleased to see that the Touch markers are rated as highly as Copic markers, which I have never got around to purchasing. The markers are so easy to use and the tips are fine, yet juicy, for a good control of colouring. I am still playing with different cardstock for these markers but today I would like to show you what the markers can be used on. Here are some acrylic flowers that I have coloured. These need to be allowed to dry before using them. The markers coloured the sparkles really well and I will always have coloured sparkles to match my projects. Here I have used Stazon black ink and stamped butterflies and flowers on the feather vellum from the Free to Be Me paper pack that was a constant campaign a few months ago. I have stamped on the shiny side and when the ink dried I coloured in the back of the image and then fussy cut them out. I love the effect of the colours on the vellum. Here is a card that I have made using the flowers, butterflies and sparkles. I have used two new stamp sets that are going to be available next month – Your Own Kind of Wonderful and Pretty Petals. I have stamped the background flowers using the rock and roll technique with the new Canary ink with Pear ink. The leaves are stamped with Pear and Topiary inks using the same technique. I have used the new Thistle cardstock and matching Thistle ribbon on the Pear cardstock. I love the new colours and can’t wait to do more with them. Here is another card that I have completed using the markers. My understanding is that Memento ink is the best to use with the markers but with this card I have used the CTMH dye inks and the markers have performed well with the ink. Here is a close up of the coloured image. I love the softness of the colouring and the colours matched the papers beautifully. Materials used: Cardstock – Pear, White Daisy, Thistle, Sorbet, Creme Brulee, Sky, Colonial White, Saddle Inks – Stazon Black, Saddle, Sky, Thistle Stamps – Your Own Kind of Wonderful, Pretty Petals Papers – Balloon Ride paper packet Acrylic flowers Sparkles ShinHan Touch markers: Butterflies – LavenderP83, Peony Purple P282, Marigold YR24, Golden Yellow Y222 Flowers – Lavender P83, Peony Purple P282, Marigold YR24, Golden Yellow Y222 Balloon Ride – Golden Yellow Y222, Marigold YR24, Light Orange R140, Leaf Green GY234, Vivid Green G46, Sap Green GY235, Clay BR116, Mahogany BR96, Bronze BR99 I am looking forward to playing more with my new markers and will post some of my results here. All these products will be available from the 1st of August. Have a great week. Happy Crafting Patricia

CTMH Ariana and Ivy Lane purses

On July 13, 2014July 14, 2014 By patriciamanhireIn Close to My Heart, Crafts, Cricut, Paper Crafting10 Comments

Welcome back.

A special warm welcome to my new followers and I hope that you find a lot of inspiration here. I enjoy trying new ideas and techniques and Close to My Heart has been the catalyst for going to the next level for my crafting.

Today I will be showing some purses that I have made out of Ariana and Ivy Lane papers. I love these papers and sorry to see them go but I know that there are some amazing new products coming next month.

The idea for these purses as come from Pinterest here. They were really easy to make up and it took a lot longer to sort out the decorations on them. To hold the purse together I have used the tiny hook and loop dots from CTMH. These are great as they are tiny and unobtrusive and hold really well.

Here is a close up of both purses:

I have used the following materials in making these purses:

Cardstock – Colonial White, Pear

Papers – Ariana, Ivy Lane

Inks – Cocoa, Cashmere

Stamps – Fabulous You, Stitch Wonder

Cricut Cartridge – Art Philosophy

Scallop punch

Mini-medley – Rosewood

Mini-medley – Antiqued Gold

Topiary Ribbon

Sparkles Assortment – round Black/Grey

Rosette Ribbon

Seam Binding Ribbon

Hook and loop dots

I have been invited to enter this post on a new challenge website called Take Heart Inspirations Challenges here. Please visit this site for lots of different ideas using Close to My Heart products.

I am very excited to update you on my shop. It is goodbye to Craft Hutt and hello to Gift Hutt (although I am still waiting for Facebook to change the name) and here is the first ad to go into the local paper. I love working with the local artists and crafters and it is a real pleasure having their items in the shop. Most of the items I have been showing on my blog are also for sale at Gift Hutt. So if you are in Lower Hutt then do pop in and say hello, I would love to meet you.

Have a great week and I will be back next week with something different. My order is finally on it’s way with some products from the new Ideas Book and I can’t wait to start playing and showing you what can be done with them.

Happy Crafting

Patricia

CTMH Double Pocket cards

On July 6, 2014July 7, 2014 By patriciamanhireIn Cardmaking, Close to My Heart, Crafts, Stamping11 Comments

Welcome back for another installment featuring Close to My Heart products. This week I will be featuring a double pocket card which is a lot easier than it looks and is a great way to show of the fabulous papers from CTMH. I have got the instructions from Splitcoaststampers here. I have done 4 different cards with different embellishments and here they are: The beautiful patterned paper from Ariana and Ivy Lane were perfect for these double pocket cards as they had a great contrast with the green and the floral patterns. I have cut out the tags using the Art Philosophy cartridge and stamped using the journalling stamp from the Artbooking Cricut Cartridge set. I love that stamp as it makes a lovely journalling box with nice wide lines to write in. The tags have been distressed with Cashmere ink to add to the vintage feel of the papers. Here are some close ups of the cards: I have used a variety of tags and embellishments for the front of the cards. I have used some of the products that were available last month in the special 30th anniversary bundles as well as some of the current products. Materials used: Cardstock – Colonial White, Ariana Coral Papers – Ariana, Ivy Lane Stamps – Artbooking Cricut stamp set, Frame Flair, Fabulous You, Art Philosophy Cricut Collection Inks – Cocoa, Cashmere, Hollyhock Cricut cartridges – Artbooking, Artiste, Art Philosophy Mini-medley accents – rosewood collection Mini-medley accents – antiqued gold Durables – round antiqued gold, pewter Ariana Assortments Topiary ribbon Sparkles – clear assortment Bitty Sparkles Foam tape I hope that you have fun making these cards as well. They look complicated but are actually very simple to use. Have a great week. Happy Crafting Patricia

Paper Trail Blog – Balloon Ride

On July 1, 2014July 2, 2014 By patriciamanhireIn Close to My Heart, Crafts, Cricut, Scrapbooking8 Comments

Welcome to another Paper Trail Blog Hop and this month the focus is on the the Balloon Ride papers.

If you have come from Amy’s blog, you are in the right place and if you have just popped in to visit then feel free to have a good browse. The blog hop is circular so once you have visited everyone you will end up where you have started.

I have been doing my son’s album and the Balloon Ride papers have been really great to stretch myself with a different colour palette. I have also used the Artbooking cartridge to create the first layout. Once again I have a layout from the Make it From the Heart Volume 2 book (pattern No. 13). I have used a different overlay to the one in the book and placed strips of different colour behind the layout. I love the effect it creates and it adds such a pop of colour on the layout. I have also cut some other shapes out of the Artbooking cartridge to embellish the page.

Here is a close up of the Artbooking detail on the page.

I have also showed this page to demonstrate that you don’t need to have a Cricut machine to create layouts. This is my own design using the front sheets from the Picture Your Life kit to place at the top of the page and a couple of strips down each side of the page. The photos work in well and I have just added a couple of complements from the Balloon Ride Complement set.

This is another double layout I have done using the Artist Cartridge as well as the Artbooking cartridge. I have used the pattern 6e (Half & Half-Tags) from the Reflections Scrapbook Programme for my inspiration and I am really pleased how it has turned out.

Here is a close up of both pages of the layout. I have been admiring the merry go round in the Artiste cartridge for a long time and I am so thrilled that I could use it on this layout. The base is made out of S0rbet cardstock and the second layer is made from the sorbet crackle paper in the paper pack. I have finished off with Crystal Blue cardstock to create some unity with the colours in the paper and the photos. I have also made the rosette out from the Artiste cartridge and topped it with the Fun stamp out of the June SOTM set – Kaboom (NLA). The title and the pocket with the journalling tag is from the Artbooking cartridge. I have used off cuts from the overlay in the first layout to decorate several layouts to create unity with this album. The tags have been cut by hand.

To start with I wasn’t too sure about this paper range as well but the colours are so beautiful and the album is turning out really well. I have combined traditional layouts with the Balloon Ride Picture Your Life programme to get through the photos quickly.

I couldn’t resist putting in some cards that I have made with the Balloon Ride papers and the coordinating stamp set Give a Lift. I have not used Creme Brulee cardstock before but it tones beautifully with the Ballon Ride papers.

I have paper pieced the image using the blue paper and Sorbet, Crystal Blue and Creme Brulee cardstock. I have also used the offcuts of the overlay I cut out for the first layout featured at the beginning of the post.

I love the colour combination here and the three dimensional effect that I have achieved with overlaying the trimmed image over the balloon background paper. I have sanded the edges of the Sorbet and Creme Brulee cardstocks to give a lovely edge to the matting. The balloon image has been paper pieced using the patterned paper and Sorbet cardstock.

This was a quick and easy card and the balloon image has been coloured using the watercolour pencils from CTMH. I used to do a lot of water colour painting once until I became ill and now I am enjoying doing using these pencils and creating the watercolour effects again. I have used my watercolour brushes to create the lovely soft effects. I have also used the paper piercing tool to create a pattern on the trim as seen in the photo below.

This final card has had the stamped image coloured in using the watercolour pencils and then blended with the watercolour pen available from CTMH. As you can see it is a much more vibrant colour to the washed look of watercolour.

Materials used:

Cardstock – Saddle, Crystal Blue, Colonial White, Sherbet, Cashmere, Creme Brulee, White Daisy

Paper – Balloon Ride

Inks – Sherbet, Saddle, Cocoa,

Stamps – Take Note – Artbooking Cricut bundle, Laughing Lola Scrapbooking Workshop, Give a Lift, Cricut Art Philosophy Tags

Cricut Cartridges – Artiste, Artbooking, Art Philosophy

Slate Bakers Twine

Balloon Ride Assortments

Balloon Ride Complements

Blue Epoxy bubbles

CTMH watercolour pencils

Baker’s twine

I hope that you have enjoyed my layouts and please visit Mary’s blog, Road to Piece of Mind or Escape? to see what masterpiece/s she has created.

Happy Crafting

Patricia

Australasian CTMH SOTM Blog Hop – Circus Alphabet

On July 1, 2014July 1, 2014 By patriciamanhireIn Cardmaking, Close to My Heart, Crafts, Stamping4 Comments

Hello and welcome aboard our Stamp of the Month Australasian Close to My Heart Blog Hop. If you have arrived here from Lauren’s blog, CTMH Craftings then you are in the right place. If you landed here by accident, no problems, please join in by following the link at the end of this post.

This month’s SOTM set is the Circus Alphabet set. In the past I have never used alphabet stamps so this has been great to challenge me. But they are easy to use in a number of different ways. In today’s blog there are a number of different projects that I have used the Circus Alphabet set to show how versatile these stamps are.

Alphabet stamps suit baby cards so well with spelling out the words baby, boy and girl easily. First up is a baby girl card that I have done with the Lollydoodle papers. I have trimmed the edge of the front card by 1 1/4″ and then used the scallop edge punch to create some interest. I then trimmed the card with a combination of papers from the Lollydoodle range. The sentiment is from the Cricut Artiste cartridge and the crib is from the B is For Baby stamp set. The sparkles have been coloured with Cotton Candy alcohol markers to match the colour scheme.

For the blocks with the letters I have cut out 3 pieces of 1 1/4″ White Daisy cardstock and then I stamped the letters using Cotton Candy and Pear inks. I have used the Pear and Cotton Candy alcohol markers to draw a line around the edges of the blocks. I have tried to make these look like children’s building blocks.

Here is a baby boy card using a building block card technique from Splitcoaststampers here. I have seen a couple of these cards and they are great for baby cards and the lovely blue striped paper from the Ariana paper range is perfect for a boy’s card. Once again I have used the stamp set B is For Baby and fussy cut the images of the pram, crib and rattle. Sparkles have been added to give a little bling.

Here is a close up of the blocks.

Here is another card similar to what I have done in the past using the pattern from the Make It FromHere is another card similar to what I have done in the past from the Make It From Your Heart Volume 1 pattern 19. As you can see I love this paper and also the scallop punch to add a little – well punch… I am not sure it is finished yet so I will keep looking at it, and if I change it I will post it here.

Finally I have made some tea bag dispenser box using Ariana papers and have stamped the word TEA on the back of it. This is another really easy project to do and once again I have got the pattern from Splitcoaststampers here. I must admit I found the instructions for the decorative layers quite complicated and ended up using my method of matting of decreasing by 1/4″ each side to simplify what I was doing. I have distressed everything including the rosette with Cashmere ink to give it a lovely vintage look.

Here is the back of the box with the words from the stamp set.

Materials used:

Cardstock – White Daisy, Outdoor Denim, Colonial White, Pear, Pink glitter cardstock

Papers – Ariana, Lollydoodle

Stamp sets – Circus Alphabet, B is for Baby, Frame Flair

Inks – Cotton Candy, Pear, Outdoor Denim, Cashmere

Cricut cartidges – Artiste, Art Philosophy

Alcohol markers – Cotton Candy, Pear

Sparkles – Bitty and regular

Green epoxy bubbles

Mini medley – rosewood collection

Topiary chevron ribbon

Outdoor Denim bakers twine

Scallop punch

This gorgeous stamp set is available for the month of July only from your CTMH consultant here. I’d love you to leave a comment before heading off to the next stop, Denise’s blog, Stamp, Stamp, share.

Have a great month playing with this stamp set.

Happy Crafting

Patricia

	anyasofia [annie] on Scored Slimline Eyelet Heart
	Monia on Shaped Floral Sentiment
	Monia on Scored Slimline Eyelet Heart
	Glenda on Shaped Floral Sentiment
	anyasofia [annie] on Amazing Paper Grace Pretty in…

Patricia's Creative Corner

Month: July 2014

CTMH Embossing fun

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One of the Bucket List

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CTMH Touch Markers

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CTMH Ariana and Ivy Lane purses

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CTMH Double Pocket cards

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Paper Trail Blog – Balloon Ride

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Australasian CTMH SOTM Blog Hop – Circus Alphabet

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