NSD Special "Party Girl" - Project 5

And finally, here is project five of the National Scrapbooking Day Specials. It’s called “Party Girl” and is a scrapbooking workshop. This is also a little preview of the National Scrapbooking Special for the month of May, which is a gorgeous paper pack. Here you have a sneak peek of the cardstock part included and yes, there is foiled cardstock in it. :-) Beautiful papers and layouts and on top an awesome stamp set. The set alone has so many possibilities. If you like to see the complete set, go here: 

https://claudiahenderson.closetomyheart.com/retail/product.aspx?sku=CC4217

And like I mentioned before, you can order this right now but if you can wait until tomorrow you might be able to combine it with a few other specials. For questions, please contact me.

I think we can agree that the “Party Girl” stamp set is one to keep, but what to you think of these five National Scrapbooking Day Specials? Which one is your favorite one (or two or more):

A. More than You’ll ever Know (Scrapbooking)

B. Sending you  Hugs (Cardmaking)

C. These Little Piggies (Album)

D. Cheerful Humor (Cardmaking)

E. Party Girl (Scrapbooking)

Creative Design Team Challenge “Love My Stash” - Day 4

 Here we are at Day 4 of the challenge and todays designer is Jayma and she has a very special challenge. What the DUCK??? She is showing her process of scrapbooking some Christmas pictures.

Day 4 ... https://youtu.be/2O7Ksed_8YQ

Enjoy this wonderful idea and get inspired. Don’t forget to give these wonderful ladies a thumbs up on their video.

NSD Special "Cheerful Humor" - Project 4

 

Welcome to the fourth project of our National Scrapbooking Day Special. This one is another Cardmaking Kit and it is hilarious. The stamp set is a 2 part set with funny phrase you don’t want to miss out on. “Cheerful Humor” is an understatement LOL... again you will get a sneak peek of upcoming new papers, plus the kit will include all that is needed to create 20 card, 2 of 10 designs. The stamp set or should I say the 2 sets, because that's what they are, will be there to create even more cards. Get some more cards and envelopes (X254 Bulk pack) and some papers and you can make even more cards. The total content of the set can be found here: https://claudiahenderson.closetomyheart.com/retail/product.aspx?sku=CC4218
Remember, all set are available to purchase right now, but if you can hold on for just a few more days it might be worth it. Starting April 1st there will be a few more specials that can safe you a few extra bucks ... just saying ;-)
I am still laughing about this stamp set. So tell me, would you love to get one of these funny cards to brighten your day?
1. Yes 
2. NO
3. No, but I know someone I like to sent it too

NSD Special "These Little Piggies" - Project 3

How cute...”These Little Piggies” Album Workshop Kit is the third project for the National Scrapbooking Day. Yes, you will be creating an entire 4”x4” Mini Album and beside this beautiful album I think the stamp set alone is worth the money. These little piggies are adorable and I am sure you will have a lot of fun creating the album. And later you can enjoy the stamp set to create more albums or cards or decorate scrapbook pages or maybe a party theme? Have a look here to see everything that is included in the kit: https://claudiahenderson.closetomyheart.com/retail/product.aspx?sku=CC42111

and like I mentioned before, all kits are available right now, but if you can wait until April 1 or after, you have to chance to take advantage of even more special in April. ... Just saying

So let me ask you, looking at this cute piggies stamp set, which project would you like to do with them?

A. Cards

B. Album

C. Pages

D. Little Gifts

NSD Special "Sending You Hugs" - Project 2

Here is the second project of our National Scrapbooking Day. It’s called “Sending You Hugs” and is a super cute Cardmaking Kit. Not only will you get the pretty “Lovely” paper, you will also get a matching sequins package, card bases and envelopes. But above all, the exclusive stamp set is so adorable. This stamp set is only available with the workshop. You will find more information about this kit here ...https://claudiahenderson.closetomyheart.com/retail/product.aspx?sku=CC42110

But remember, there are a few more special coming April 1st that you might like to combine with ... just saying

Contact me if you have more questions about these kits. The live event showing you how the kits go together will be held April 30 and May 1.

Now here is a question for you, which of the three do you like the best?

1. Lama

2. Koala

3. Zebra

Comment below and lets see which one is the favorite

NSD Special "More Than You'll Ever Know" - Project 1

 "More Than You'll Ever Know" is the first of the five projects shown during the National Scrapbooking Day. It is a scrapbooking workshop featuring some of our new papers coming up in May, an exclusive stamp set, special embellishments and a template to teach you some new techniques. I personally love these colors and did you see the stamp set.... You can see the entire package here:

https://claudiahenderson.closetomyheart.com/retail/product.aspx?sku=CC4219

tuned for more to come....

So which of the 4 project would be your No.1?

A. Single Page Layout

B. Blue Page Layout

C. Pink Page Layout

D. Star Layout

National Scrapbooking Day Special is here

National Scrapbooking month is coming up in May and like last year, Close to My Heart like to start this special month with a 2-day special event. Welcome to the National Scrapbooking Day 2021!

Yes, two days filled with projects and fun. There is a total of 5 projects available and while you can purchase each of them individually, you can also get them all in a bundle with a 30% discount. But wait, there is more. While I will show you a few examples at the end, here is also a video our CEO Monica did to open the event. Have a look ... Video Link

The event will be held on April 30th showing two of the projects and May 1st showing the other 3. You are welcome to join each life event online without purchasing the kits. Just have fun, get inspired and learn a few new techniques. There will be tons of giveaways, but to be able to win you must be online, watching, sharing and commenting.

All kits and the bundle are available starting today and you can order them right from my website. If you can hold on until April 1st you can also benefit of two more super specials that will save you extra money. Contact me if you have questions.

So here are just one or two samples of each kit of the 5 projects that are available to purchase:

Tips & Tricks - Part 6 Cutting Tools and Good to have Tools

 

Video Link

Today we have a look at some cutting tools and a few other items that might be good to have. In the video I will show you a few examples for paper trimmers available and which one I like to use. Most of the products I show are available in the Core Idea Book from Close To My Heart. I hope you will enjoy the video and please check out the YouTube description for all item numbers. You can find more information about each item in the online book. 

Friendship Card with Glossy Spray

 

Here is a fun new technique using our new glossy sprays. While these sprays are not made by Close To My Heart, they still match our colors incredibly well. I played here with “Cheddar Gloss Spray (Z3819)” which pairs great with our pewter and Sundance inks. 

I used a regular card base for this card. I cut a piece of white cardstock at 4” x 5 1/4” and sprayed it lightly with the cheddar gloss spray. I added a few sprinkles of pewter into the mix. After letting it sit and dry, I added my paper strips and stamped my phrases. I matted the piece with some grey cardstock before adhering it with foam dots to the card base. A few sequins and some decoration on the inside finishing this card off.

I will play with these gloss sprays more in the next few months. If you never tried them, do so. They are fun to work with. You have to shake the bottle well so the paint mixes with the white shimmer elements on the bottom of the bottle. Then spray away. Clean the nozzle when you are done and let the spray dry. It doesn’t take long and it leaves a beautiful shimmer behind. I will play with my greens and blues next, so stay tuned.

Creative Design Team Challenge “Love My Stash” - Day 3

 

Day 3 of the Creative Design Team Challenge “Love My Stash”

Today’s video will give you another angle on how to use your stach. Miss Carrie is using her pockets cards and papers on a ranch girl layout.

Make sure to give these awesome ladies a thumbs up if you like what they have done. I was inspired by their creations. Check out next Tuesday for another great video

Day 3 ... https://youtu.be/eRs7RBPtTek

Tips & Tricks - Part 5 Variety of Inks and Uses

Video Link

Tips & Tricks is back on track and today we have a look into inks. There are so many different varieties on the market and while they all seemed to be different, there are only a few major differences you need to remember. What is the difference between these inks and what project can I use them for? These are just 2 of the questions  I will try to answer. So enjoy the video and please give it a thumbs up and subscribe by going to my YouTube channel.

Although I will mainly talk about inks we have in the Idea Book, you still will find all information to be used with all other inks on the market. We have a close look at our Exclusive water-based inks, our pigment inks, the different varieties of black inks and the new distress inks. You can find all Exclusive Inks and the Pigment Inks online HERE.

For the variety of black inks, just type in the following product numbers in the search bar on the website above and you will see all information for them as well:

- Exclusive Black Ink   Z 2805 (regular stamping ink, water-based)

- Intense Black Exclusive Ink   Z4189 (intense black like Memento Ink, great for coloring)

- Archival Black Ink   Z3271 (waterproof, deepest black)

- StazOn Black Ink   Z888 (Solvend Ink, great for all non-porous surfaces like metal, glas, vellum, acetates photos etc., needs a special cleaner!!! and will stain your stamps over time a lot)

My two favorite inks in black I would suggest for anyone starting out with stamping and coloring are the Exclusive Black Ink and the Intense Black Exclusive Ink. They will cover most of projects easily.

Close To My Heart Album Retreat - Register Now!

Many of you missed the last Close to My Heart Album Retreat because it sold out so quickly. Well now is your chance. The May Album Retreat is available for all customers until April 19 or while supplies last. 

You will create 11 double page layouts, yes, that is 22 single pages!!! This retreat is loaded with pre-cut papers, embellishments, new techniques for you to learn and so much more. It comes complete with our awesome page protectors... Have a look at the video Monica made to see all the layouts up close.

 https://fb.watch/4jGgIjkaSr/

And the best part...my VIP’s, YES YOU GET YOUR 15% CASH CREDIT on this retreat.... can I hear a woooohooooo?

Order your retreat today before it sells out again...you find all information right HERE!

If you are not a VIP member yet, well this is the time to do so. Sign up as a VIP first. The membership is $35 per year and you receive a $15 cash credit right away. So technically you only pay $20 for the first year! Then order your retreat bundle and you get 15% of the purchase on cash credit on top. This will not only pay for your membership for one year but you will also have extra cash to spend. Contact me if you have questions!

And for all of you who order the Album Retreat, I have a special gift for you waiting. 😉 

Easel-Card with “Home Sweet Home” stamp set

 

Like I mentioned in last weeks post, this stamp set is just the right size for so many projects. This time I created an easel card which again works great with the little house.

The card base is cut from white cardstock at 11”x4 1/4” and folded in half. A second fold is created on the front part at around 2”.

You stamp and decorate the card as you desire, just make sure the second fold is free to fold up and that there is a little raised element on the inside of the card to hold the easel part in place.

The stamp set comes with matching dies and here I used the house and the tree dies for the front of the card. This Close To My Heart stamp set is called “Home Sweet Home” (Z3755) and is still available to order.

Creative Design Team Challenge “Love My Stash” - Day 2

Today, the Creative Design Team Challenge “Love My Stash”  has a closer look into

Avonea Pocket Scrapbooking Cards 

Day 2 ... https://youtu.be/LHT6BybpdhY 

I am sure you have some extra pocket cards laying around, right? Well see what Katy is doing with them in her video about love my stach. Don’t forget to give them s thumbs up if you like the video.

CTMH Special - Pages For All Ages

 

Pages For All Ages Special

This is a fun project for all ages and it might be something you like to do together with your kids or grandkids. Show them how much fun it is to capture memories and create wonderful photo pages to preserve these memories. 

No matter if you do this together with your kids or by yourself, this is a super cute pre-cut set that makes it easy to create. Gather some photos and adhesive and start putting the pages together. Don’t forget to journal and voila, your pages are done in no time. You can get them in a bundle or buy them individually.

Click here to see more!

This special is available from March 1st and March 31st.

Close to My Heart Virtual March-April Idea Book Tour

 Good morning everyone. I know you were expecting the next chapter of my Tips&Tricks series about inks and their use today... but one of my ink pads I wanted to show you is still on its way. So I am postponing Part 5 of this series until next Friday.

For today I have a virtual tour through our new Idea Book for March and April. If you haven’t seen the book yet, this is the perfect time to get a glimpse of it and for all who already have seen the book, well you might find a few things you have missed too ;-)

Have fun watching and if you like to see the book online, CLICK HERE.

Creative Design Team Challenge “Love My Stash” - Day 1

Here is the first video of a series of 26 created by some very talented ladies. The Creative Design Team Challenge was done in February and every day we were able to watch a new video with ideas on how to use up our stash of papers and embellishments. This was such an inspiring series that I thought I share these wonderful ideas with you. A big “Thank You” to all that participated in this series and shared their ideas with us.

So tune in every Tuesday for a new video challenge about “Love My Stash”

The first up is Andrea and she will be using some of her pocket cards from a stach of cards she has.

Day 1 ... https://youtu.be/yDEdlpLdUwc

Please make sure to give them a thumbs up if you like the video and see you back next Tuesday for more ideas.

Home Sweet Home Birthday Card

Today I used the cute “Home Sweet Home” (Z3755) stamps set from Close to My Heart to create this pretty birthday card. The stamp set is available with or without the matching dies.

I love the size of the little house and it offers so many possibilities. You can use the house on scrapbook pages as embellishments. At the same time it is also a perfect size to use on cards. My base here is a normal 4 1/4” x 5 1/2” card base. I folded the front part in half so it has a little more interesting opening, as you can see in picture 2. 

Stamp Of the Month in March

Stamp of the Month in March

Here is another wonderful example fo our monthly stamp specials. This is such a versatile set and I love that you can get this set for only $5 this month. Yes, only $5 if you place an order of $50 or more in March. 

For all my VIP members, remember you will get this set for FREE with an order or $50 or more during the month of March plus your 15% cash credit as an active member. 

So don’t miss out on this beautiful set and make sure your order it before March 31st. 

You can find more information and samples on the website....just click HERE!

Tips & Tricks - Part 4 Stamp Cleaner and Storage

 Today let’s have a look at how to clean your stamps. What is the best way and the easiest way to clean your stamps? What to look out for when using different types of inks and what to avoid? And how do you store your stamps at home?

Video Link

You can find all stamp cleaning options on page 76 in the Core Idea Book.

The Stamp Shammy (Z3579) can be found HERE.

For your organizing tools, check out page 84 in the Core Idea Book.

- Stamp Envelopes (Z335)

- Paper Envelopes (Z334)

- My Acrylic Organizer (Z1038) holds up to 15 Stamp envelopes

- Large Craft Organizer (Z4206) holds a lot of the envelopes

Thank You Card - Stamp of the Month February

 
 

SOTM for February

This set had a bunch of border stamps included and I decided to use them to create a fun background paper.

Using multiple different ink colors made the striped background really fun. I also incorporated our “Stitched Brackets” (Z3631) in this card. They create just the right base for my word stamps. Don’t forget to stamp and decorate the card inside to. If you missed out on the Feb SOTM I am sure you can find a few border stamps in your stach.

Close to My Heart have a new special stamp set every month and with a qualifying purchase you can get it for only $5. Have a look at the March set right HERE.

Cardstock Carnival - Close to My Heart Special for March

 

Welcome to the month of March loaded with brand new specials, a new Seasonal Idea Book and so much more to come.

Today we have a look at the Cardstock Carnival Special. Yes, you heard right all month long you can order our cardstock for a special low price. All colors and pre-packed packages of color combinations are on sale.

Now is the time to stock up! To find all available colors and combos, check out the online list right HERE!

Now what is so special about our cardstock you might ask? Well let’s see:

- first, our cardstock has a white core. This means the paper is not died through all the way. Why is this a good thing? If you like to distress your papers a bit, rip this cardstock along the edges and you will have a nice white contrast, or run it through an embossing folder and sand the reveal site to make it pop.

- second, our cardstock comes as a two-ton sheet. This means you have a darker color on one side and a lighter hue of that color on the other side. This is perfect if you are trying to match pictures or other papers  to a color. It also makes the perfect base to double mat a photo in a two-ton way. Plus you get to colors for the price of one ;-)

- third but not last, our cardstock has just the right weight for pages, cards or any type of 3-D elements to create, e.g. boxes. I love the weight of the paper for die-cutting, embossing or using it in my cutting machine. But the most value I found it the cardstock and the colors we have is that even so we change colors over the years, I still can grab a paperpack from way back (even 10 years ago) and I still can match todays color to is with no effort at all.

Give it a try and take advantage of the great value and the different colors. 

This offer is valid from March 1 - March 31.