Technique Blog Hop - Charmed, I'm Sure!

If you are coming from Michelle's Blog, you are on the right track!  12 Close To My Heart Consultants are showcasing the "Charmed, I'm Sure!" technique highlighted in our Annual Inspirations Idea Book, found on page 133.  You can find the beginning of the hop by clicking here.  

"Jewelry isn't the only thing that can be charming.  Dazzle up your papercrafts with the shine of a few small charms from the Base & Bling line!  Tie them on, adhere them, or simply let them dangle.  Go ahead, add a little charm to all of your projects!"

I have a lot of CTMH addictions (lol) and I find myself regularly finding a new one.  One of them are these fun My Creations Mini Books that come in Black and Kraft.  They are so super easy and fun to put together and simple enough for inserting your favorite photos.  I used the Avonlea Picture My Life Cards to decorate this kraft album.  A camera charm was perfect for a nice touch on the front cover and very fitting for what potential the mini book has inside.  (I used a retired "paper clip" to adhere it.)

Some of the pages, with little touches, follow.  I didn't want to do too much to take away from the cards or to limit the recipient from their intent for this book.  (I did use it as a gift at a holiday exchange.)

Thanks for stopping by and keeping moving through the hop to see what other fun creations there are.  You'll head over to Catherine's Blog next but please consider leaving a comment before you do so.

Happy Friday eve and happy hoppin'!

CTMH Technique Blog Hop - Irresistible Texture

Welcome to our Blog Hop where we are featuring "Irresistible Texture" for our technique this month!  So how do we get irresistible texture?  By using our fabulous embossing folders, of course!  Close To My Heart has several patterns to choose from, fitting 5" x 7" sheets of paper.  The folders are high-quality and give a great impression, with ease.  If you are coming from Michelle's Blog, you are on the right track.  Should you get lost along the way, please visit Sheila's Blog for a complete list of participants.

I am showcasing the Heart Embossing Folder which is a new folder recently released on December 1st in the Seasonal Expressions.  I love hearts so this totally caught my attention.

In an effort not to take away attention from the technique, I decided to keep the card front simple and used the sketch shown below.  I kept trying to add a little something more to it, but then added the sentiment and Baker's Twine and thought, "perfect".  I like that it is simple and that my hearts can get the attention they desire.  :)

I was inspired by this sketch found on Freshly Made Sketches.

Thanks you for visiting.  Comments are always welcome and then keep moving through the hop to see the other fabulous creations!  Head on over to Catherine's Blog to see her fun creation!

Happy hoppin'!

Dream Card & Painter's Tape Technique

I have been seeing several cards made using the Painter's Tape Technique and I loved how they looked.  So...I decided to try it myself and am so glad I did.  I think I just found another addition.  :)

How did I do it?  I actually used masking tape because I did not have any Painter's Tape on-hand and it worked just fine.  (Using painter's tape would make the stripes a little bit wider.)  I took a piece of masking tape, a little longer than the piece of white CS where I wanted to place it and inked it up on my ink pad using my fingers.  (The video I watched and followed, created by Deb Valder, shows how to rub your finger on the tape so that you do not get the edges of the tape inked up.  Click here to watch her video.)  Then, I placed it on the cardstock, rubbed my finger over it in the same fashion and here were the results!

I used black ink for the two images from the "Dreamer" stamp set and colored in the flower in her hair using the Turquoise Blue ShinHan Marker.  I added a Bitty Sparkle to the flower center and layered it on Thistle Cardstock.

I love the look of this card and you can bet I will be making plenty more using this technique.  Give it a try!  I am sure you will fall in love with it too!

Make it a GREAT week!

DIY: Easy 3-D Effects

Have you ever wanted to turn a flat Cricut shape into a 3-D element but did not know how?  Would you have guessed it was difficult?  I would have but it is not!

Watch this video to learn how to made an adorable banner of your choice - she teaches how to make a CUTE Valentine banner, perfect for this time of the year.  You can use these dimensional pieces for your scrapbook pages or any other decor item.

Have fun giving this technique a try!  It's as easy as 1-2-3-D!

Technique Blog Hop

Thanks for joining us this month as we highlight the technique shown on page 33 of the Spring/Summer Idea Book.  There are 15 of us participating in the swap. It is one big circle and you can find the beginning of the hop by clicking here.

If you are coming from Judy Faye's Blog, you are on the right track.

For this card, I chose to use the dragonfly image on the Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge. I also used a floral and "frame" image from the cartridge as well.

Now, hop on over to Shirley's blog to see what she has in store for you.

Happy hoppin'!

Technique Blog Hop - MARCH

This technique had me a little thrown initially until I realized I have used it more than I realize.  Some B&T papers lend themselves better to creating our own embellishments - for cards or layouts - but with a little creativity...

This month we were asked to highlight the technique on page 21 in the 2012 Spring/Summer Idea Book called, "B&T Duos Designs as Embellishments".  (We get twice as many choices since our B&T paper has a different pattern on each side.)  There are 14 of us participating in this hop so if you have come from Tonya's Blog you are on the right track.  You can view a list of the participants and begin the start of the hop by visiting Michelle's Blog.  In any case I hope you enjoy the blog and be sure to join us in highlighting this technique and having the opportunity to win some CTMH goodies.  You can find complete details by clicking HERE.

Using a Twilight B&T pattern for the base of this circle card, I then selected two images from the beautiful striped sheet of paper shown below (left).  Directions for this technique state to select portions of the B&T to use, trim the pieces, and adhere to project. I did just that, incorporating our new Florentine paper packet. I also took a piece of one of the stripes to create the heart stripe at the top of the card.

I made the dimensions 3-D by placing 3-D Foam Tape under each image and added some of our Mocha Opaques. 

I am pleased with the results and hope you agree!  Now, hop on over to Shirley's Blog where you will find another variation for this technique.

Be sure to check out our Techniquely Terrific Blog and participate in a fun challenge using this technique.  YOU COULD WIN SOME CTMH PRODUCTS!  Click here for more details.

Happy hoppin'!