H2H Challenges: Something Old Is New!

Happy New Year!  Are you ready for 2015?!?  We have some great challenges planned over at the Heart 2 Heart Challenge blog.  Our first challenge of the year is "old is new."  It's time to re-purpose something old into something new- or use something old in a new way.

My project is something that I had been wanting to make for a long time, especially after seeing a similar item in a local store for $30 (!!!!).  I took an OLD map and cut out our hometown to place in a NEW pendant.  Both my husband and my daughter liked the addition of the red shimmer trim heart.  All it took was a little liquid glass to piece the pendant together, and then I added the base & bling charms.  (Click HERE to see the Base & Bling line.)

Be sure to check out how all of the talented H2H designers have interpreted this challenge.  I bet you've got something old that you'd like to make new.  Won't you join us?  You have all month to give it a try!

Up, Up, & Away!

Our new Heart 2 Heart Challenges Design Team is ready to go up, up, and away!  Are you with us?  You have all month to play along with any of our July challenges, so get your craft on.

For this challenge, I knew birds were going to be my up, up, & away inspiration.  I have been wanting to make a Base & Bling necklace for quite a while, so I got to work!  They are super easy to make: all you need are the pieces, the sticker of your choice from the base & bling collection (or you favorite patterned paper or photo), and a little Liquid Glass.

Here are two more that I made.

And the perfect card to accompany either of these necklaces:

The card uses one of the Base & Blink stickers (the feathers) and the Give a Lift stamp set for the sentiment.  I thought that Sunset card stock and a bit of Laughing Lola really matched the Base & Bling stickers.

Here I am wearing the peacock necklace.  I wrapped the chain through the pendant twice to wear it up close to my neck.  If you'd like to learn more about the Base & Bling collection, click HERE.  Thanks for stopping by!  Please leave me a comment before you take off and check out the fabulous H2H inspiration.

Base & Bling Jewelry Buffet

Just in time for Mother's Day, I'm offering a base & bling jewelry buffet (complete with card for gift giving) on Friday, 5/9 (drop in from 7-8 PM).  Make a necklace or pendant for yourself and/or for a special lady in your life!  I will have a large selection of goodies to chose from.  (If you'd like to customize your pendant with a photo, please bring one that is cut to 1" square- or I can help you cut it that evening.)

Here's a sampling of the Base & Bling pieces. 

While an RSVP is not required, if you know you'd like to make a necklace (or two), let me know!

{I would like to extend a huge thanks to Bren Yule for sharing this class idea and her buffet sign!}

Autumn/Winter Idea Book Highlights

The ALL NEW Close To My Heart Idea Book is now "live," and it's time for me to share some of my favorites (in no particular order) from this edition.  (It is so much fun to see and play with all the new things!  We got lots of sneak peeks at Convention, so I will have more to share with you each month.)  If you'd like to browse through the Idea Book online, just click HERE, and if you don't already have a CTMH consultant, I'd be happy to hook you up with your own personal copy.

*Cricut Artbooking Cartridge/Collection

This Cricut cartridge is revolutionary!  It comes with 15 different themes preprogrammed on it.  Set your dial to the recommended size and cut away to get amazing, perfectly scaled scrapbooking page accents and overlays.  Mix it up if you're feeling adventurous!  It has 10 mini albums already to go, too (and we will be making some this fall).  Not a scrapper?  Don't worry, you can easily scale down the images to fit cards and so much more.  Plus, as with all of our Cricut cartridges, you get three exclusive coordinating stamp sets and three sheets of precut chipboard.  These collections are a steal at $99!  (I am interested in hosting Cricut classes, so please let me know if you're interested in learning more.)

*My Crush Books

The two My Crush journals are something new that you are going to love!  Even if you don't get into the whole "smash book" type journaling/scrapbooking, the additional page elements are something you are going to want to have and use.  My daughters can't wait for their books to come in!  They are going to become a fun journal of this school year- which starts for them on Tuesday.  I started back to work last Monday, so that explains why the blog has been a bit neglected.  More to come as we get back to school!

*Base & Bling

Necklaces, headbands, and rings, oh my!  CTMH has introduced a cool line of jewelry that is oh-so-much-more!  First, we have necklace, bracelet, ring, and headband metal bases that you can embellish to your hearts content.  Add some fabric flowers and our amazing Base and Bling embellishments for a trendy, unique statement piece.  Not sure the jewelry is for you?  I made a version of the necklace (above), available as a kit, and it is darling!  The embellishments are going to show up on just about everything I make (cards, scrapbooks, etc.) because they are gorgeous.

*Designed Decor

Decorate your home or office with one of our two Designed Decor frames, and then change out the featured artwork as desired.  The Colonial White frame has chicken wire to hold your lovelies; the black frame has rows of wire.  These are a fun way to display what's Close To your Heart!

*How-To Guides

Need help getting your groove on?  Make It from Your Heart, Volume 2 is now available, chock full of new scrapbook layout and card sketches.  ALL of our previous how-to publications are back in a convenient, affordable spiral-bound format.  I love these because they make it easy to be especially creative.

*Exclusive Hostess Stamps

Close To My Heart hostesses are being spoiled even more with the opportunity to purchase or earn several exclusive, hostess-only stamp sets, offered at a wonderful price.  I am looking for hostesses for upcoming classes and workshops, and hostessing is super easy (at my place OR yours), so please contact me if you'd like to learn more or would like to volunteer to get free CTMH products (inkyscrapper at gmail dot com).

Now that I've shared some of our new innovations, I'll be back in a few days to show off our gorgeous new paper collections!  No paper crafter's life would be complete with gorgeous paper!

CTMH Product Spotlight Blog Hop: Metal Mania

For this challenge, we're spotlighting any of the metal accessories on p. 127 of the current CTMH Idea Book.  (If you're already hopping, you should have arrived from Adeline's blog.  You'll head to Luisa's blog next.)

This project is actually one that I featured last year.  (It is just too hectic this time of year with only a week and a half of school left and no post-planning days for us teachers!)  My project is a "zebra" print necklace made with the Roxie paper pack, pewter mini medley accents, and the pin clips (plus an ivory rose from the Heirloom assortment.)

If you'd like to see how I made the necklace and bracelet, click HERE for a tutorial.

Now, hop on over to Luisa's blog!

H2H Challenges: Metal Mania!

Heart 2 Heart Challenges is issuing another great challenge this week: use metal on your project. I have been wanting to make myself some new jewelry, so this challenge was the motivation I needed to get going. At right, you'll see the necklace and bracelet set that I made.

If you'd like to read through my tutorial, continue on; otherwise, head to H2H challenges to see how our fabulous design team members interpreted the challenge and to link up your project. Remember, you must use some Close To My Heart products for this challenge blog.

I'm also linking this project up to You Had Me at Craft: Make It Yourself Mondays.





First, gather your supplies. Of course mine are all from CTMH except for the Offray 1/4" black ribbon and the cereal box tab. I used:

• the "zebra" patterned paper from the Roxie paper pack
  




• Z1487 Mini-Medley Pewter (frame, brad, and charms/slides)
  




• Z1612 Foundry Pin Clips
  




• Z1635 Heirloom Assortment (ivory flower)
  




• Liquid Glass
  1.
  
  Begin by measuring the frame opening and then
  cut your base from an empty cereal box. (Mine is slightly larger than 1"x1.5".) Cut two pieces of patterned paper to cover each side of the cardboard and adhere with your favorite adhesive.
  
  2.
  
  After lining your work space with waxed paper, apply Liquid Glass (slowly and carefully) to the front of your cardboard piece. Be sure the LG goes all the way to the edges. Then, place the frame on top of this piece. Push the edges down to adhere firmly, and then move this piece so that it doesn't stick to the waxed paper (in case some of the LG oozed out).
  
  3. While this is drying, measure 1 yard of ribbon. Run it through the two slides. To keep them from sliding, loop the ribbon back through each one again. Set aside.
  
  
  4. Once the front is dry (or nearly dry), arrange the embellishments and
  
  adhere with LG. Please remember that it dries clear and shiny, so if you get
  
  some where you don't want it, try to scrape it off quickly.
  
  
  5. Once everything is completely dry, turn the pendant over. (I added a brad to fill in the top hole of the frame; the bottom hole was covered by my charms.) This brad also helped to secure my ribbon. Apply LG to the back, especially including the ribbon to attach the pendant to the necklace.
  
  6. Once the back is completely dry, attach the final slide to serve as the fastener. Make a loop in the other end. Trim ribbon. Apply LG to the knots so that the ribbon doesn't slip. Let dry.
  
  7. Once dry, your necklace is ready to wear!
  
  
  If you'd like to make a matching bracelet, cut two pieces of the same ribbon at least 1' long. String them through the slides and knot in place. Use the final washer as a fastener and make a loop of ribbon at the other end. Again, trim and use LG to keep the ribbon from slipping or fraying.

Thanks for sticking with me! Let me know if you have any questions. I'd love for you to give this a try! If you leave a link to your finished jewelry, I'd love to stop by and look at it.

Happy crafting! Don't forget to visit the Heart 2 Heart Challenges blog if you haven't already.

H2H Challenge: Buttons!

Button, button, who's got the button? We're using buttons this week at Heart 2 Heart challenges. Won't you join us? It's simple to play: create a project using CTMH products and buttons, then post it online, and then link your post to our challenge. You have until the end of the month to play, and there are two fabulous prizes to be given away!

Since I've given away the other two button bracelets I've made, I decided to make one this Mother's Day weekend for me. I loved finding the beautiful flower-shaped buttons in the different packs of CTMH buttons! I decided on the White Daisy & Twilight flower-shaped buttons interspersed with Olive buttons, all strung on Olive embroidery floss.

If you'd like to learn to make your own button bracelet, watch my tutorial HERE, which includes photos and videos of bracelet featured in the tutorial. My first bracelet, made with the Unforgettable paper pack is HERE.

Thanks for stopping by! I've got another button project that I'll be featuring on May 15 for the CTMH Product Spotlight Blog Hop, so head back this way again! Join us at H2H with your own button project before this month runs out. Happy crafting!

CTMH supplies used: Z1358 Basic Buttons; Z1371 Blue Buttons; Z1372 Green Buttons; Z1094 Green Embroidery Floss

Birthday Blessings

Earlier this week, I had lots of help celebrating my birthday. First, my hubby cooked breakfast for us, complete with a candle in my biscuit! I got to open my present, which I thought was jewelry. Boy was I surprised (and pleased) to find an iPod nano! I can't wait to learn to use it!

My dear friend Joy gave me this gorgeous card. She knows how much I love pink! Isn't her flower beautiful? And the circle cutout to view it? Divine! (Joy, I love my sweet presents too! They are so "me!" Thank you so much!)

I also received this lovely card in the mail from my Texas friend, Julia. Don't those cupcakes look good enough to eat? (Unfortunately, we'd need a few more plates to accurate represent this year's number.) I love the glitter and that Chocolate polka dot paper- YUM!

Now to show you what my talented Mom made for me: an aquamarine (my birthstone) and Peruvian opal necklace with matching earrings. I think it is so pretty, and I love the heart toggle clasp.

She also made this amethyst necklace and earring set complete with rice pearls. I've already worn them both this week.

My sister surprised me with flowers at work (and I missed her because I had to sit in on a grant phone interview). My students surprised me with homemade brownies and lots of homemade cards. I am truly blessed! No matter how old I get, I'm going to follow my Dad's motto: another birthday sure beats the alternative!

Also, since we believe in "birthday season," I get to celebrate with my family later this week! (We celebrated with Logan's family last week.) Life is good!

Charm Bracelet Diva GiVeAwAy!

Really and truly, I debated about whether to share this with you, but in the spirit of generosity, go check out this gorgeous necklace giveaway at Charm Bracelet Diva. Good luck!

Product Spotlight Blog Hop: Gift Ideas!

It's never too early to think about gift ideas for family and friends! This month, a select group of Close To My Heart consultants are sharing some of our favorite gift ideas with you. (If you've come from Tracey Jean's blog then you're hopping right along. After your stop here, go see what my terrific upline, Chris Hill, has in store for you.)

Since we are away on vacation (and the week before we left was so hectic), I am recycling some of my favorite quick & easy gift ideas for you. For a short tutorial on how to make these binder photo clips, click right HERE.

Have you thought about making a photo wallet? These make lovely gifts, and I have a complete tutorial HERE. (I've chosen to show you the outside of one that I made, and the inside of a different one just to give you a few more ideas.)

A button bracelet is another nice idea. Check out my video tutorials HERE and HERE.

Don't forget to check out all our consultants' gift ideas. Hop to Chris's blog next!

More Swaps and Washer Pendants

These washer pendant necklaces were also part of the new catalog swap that I recently participated in. Yes, that meant that I made 40 new necklaces!

I used the new Olivia papers which are so pretty for fall. This time, I decided to decorate the backs also. Well, decorate may be too strong a word. I covered the backs with the Sunset polka dots paper and sealed them, but that was about it.

On the front I used the Primavera rub-ons and either Sparkles or Pearl Opaques.

It's a good thing these necklaces are fun to make, but I have to take a break from them (for now at least)!

Top Ten #7: Sparkles

Close To My Heart's new COLORED SPARKLES are soooo pretty! You can add tons of bling to any project (for only pennies). In addition to our clear Sparkles, we now offer a set with reds, pinks, and purples and a set of blues and greens.

My first card uses the blue Sparkles with the Magnifique paper pack and Unity stamp set. That little bit of bling turns a plain and simple card into something extraordinary.

Here's another pair of washer pendant necklaces I made, also using some blue Sparkles and the Magnifique paper pack. You can see that I decorated both the front and the back of the necklaces.


You probably already saw the peacock card on my blog, but I had to include it again for this Sparkle post!

Here's a close up of a portion of yesterday's layout using both Sparkles and the new Pearl Opaques.

How about a little bling? The packages of gems are only $2.95!