ONE more day

   The wait is almost over.  Tomorrow, August 1, is the day you have been waiting for,  Close To My Heart’s new Annual Inspirations book goes live to customers.   The name may have changed but it is still the same great product only more of it.  Included in the book are some great creating tips.  That is where I got the idea for the pixie(new color) feather.  The tip is laying baker’s twine between two layers of washi tape.  I used background and texture paper.  You cut out a feather shape and then make notches with scissors.  You can see how I did this with the feather.  The green feather, I cut the feather shape out of Pear cardstock, ran it through my cuttlebug using the chevron embossing folder, and then used a sanding block to expose some of the  white core.

  For the feather paper, I random stamped the feather and then colored with Close To My Heart’s new ShinHanart alcohol markers.  I also used the markers to alter the silver sequins(new) to the colors I used on the feathers.  I only have three of these markers and can’t wait to get more. 

Thanks for stopping by---Oleta

All supplies Close To My Heart:

paper:  Brushed(available August 1), Pear, White Daisy, and Cotton Candy cardstock

ink:  Archival Black

markers:  ShinHanart Tender Pink, Peony Purple, and Leaf Green(available Aug. 1)

stamps:  Feathers and Banner Wishes

embellishments:  sequins Silver assortment(available August 1)

embossing folder:  Chevron

Another Sneak Peak

  I’ll make today’s post short.  This card uses a paper from the new paper pack from Close To My Heart called Snowhaven.  It is available beginning August 1.  The paper is a winter themed paper with snowflakes, but I used the side with polka dots.  The butterflies are a new stamp also available August 1.  Together they make a pretty card.

All supplies Close To My Heart:

paper:  Snowhaven—available August 1 and Black and White Daisy cardstock

ink:  Juniper

stamp:  Your Own Kind of Wonderful—available August 1

Thanks for stopping by--Oleta

It’s Finally Here

  At long last my card of new product is here.    The new book, Annual Inspirations, goes live to customers on August 1 and is packed with many great new products.  For today’s card, I used the paper from the new paper pack called Confetti Wishes.  It is a great paper pack to make birthday cards or scrapbook birthdays.  I just used only one of the papers for this card.  The paper is double sided so one side has the confetti and the other the stripes.  The paper also has two of the new colors.  Here I used Thistle.  It is such a pretty purple color.

 

I trimmed the string that is on the stamp and made my own with baker’s twine.  I free hand cut the banners out of the paper and cardstock.  I used foam adhesive on the cake and the banner.  Here is a close up of the banner.

I also wanted to share a craft room tip with you.  I don’t know about you, but I am a crafter who makes piles.  If I start with a nice clean work surface before I’m done, I have reduced it to a six by six work surface if I’m lucky.  One of the things that ends up at the bottom of a pile is my stamp scrubber and my stamp cleaner spray usually rolls off my desk.  Both of these things are extremely important when stamping. and it is aggravating to have to stop and look for these. 

I have found a solution.  This brochure holder was at one of my favorite thrift stores.   I saw it one week and didn’t get it. The price was right, but I just couldn’t think of how I could use it.  My craft area is very small, and I have to make use of every little space.  I went back the next week, and it was still there.  This particular thrift store has everything with a certain color price tag on sale that day for 50% off.  The sticker for the brochure holder was the right color for the sale so I bought it.  It had  .25 sticker and so I got it for .12. 

I use it for my double scrubber and stamp cleaner.  I have different stamp scrubbers.  When Close To My Heart comes out with a new one; I buy it, but my favorite is still the one that came in my first kit five years ago.  My double scrubber stays out from under the pile and the cleaner stays off the floor, and I can spend more time crafting and less time searching for them.

I hope you can find something when you go shopping to make your craft room work better. 

All supplies Close To My Heart

paper:  Confetti Wishes available August 1

           Pacifica and White Daisy cardstock

ink:  Pacifica and Thistle

stamp:  Belated Birthday

embellishments: Baker’s Twine retired

Wow, I haven't posted since sometime in February.  I would love to say that I was on the trip of a lifetime, or that I was in the mist of a major DREAM craft garage construction, or that I has just so busy making cards to sell that I hadn't had time to post.   Sadly, this is not the case.  Life just happened and happened too quickly.  I haven't even really had much desire   to make anything to share, but I am going to make something tonight and post tomorrow.  Hopefully, once I get my fingers inky and stamp to paper, inspiration will hit, and I'll fill this blog with all sorts of pretty things. 
 
Thanks for stopping by--Oleta

A Colorful Birthday Card Update:

   Here is a better picture of today’s card.  Scroll down to get the information on it. 

A Colorful Birthday Card

  Today’s card is a little time consuming, but I think the results are beautiful,  if I do say so myself.  I am still in an embossing mood from a few weeks ago. 

  Ok, I guess you can’t really see the embossing in the photo, but it is there.  I really enjoyed the method process of this card, and a process it was.  I first stamped the background into White Daisy cardstock in Black ink.  I then used Close To My Hearts Ruby pigment ink with the flower stamp.  I really love the pigment inks from Close To My Heart and they come in every color. How cool is that!  I then used clear embossing powder over the pigment ink and used my heat gun to emboss the powder.  I did this separately for all three sizes of the flowers.  I then used Honey pigment ink for the centers of the flowers repeating the process of the embossing powder and heat gun. 

I used a Close To My Hearts spray pen(they come in a 3 pack) with  Ruby reinker and water following the directions that come with the bottle.  You can use more or less water depending on the degree of color you want.  I sprayed just the lightest of sprays onto the stamped paper.  It may be hard to see, but there are tiny little Ruby dots. 

  I stamped my sentiment in Black ink onto White Daisy cardstock and then layered it onto Ruby cardstock followed by Black cardstock.  I added three brads, and my card was finished.

All Supplies Close To My Heart:

paper:  Black, Ruby, and White Daisy cardstock

stamp(s): Banner Wishes, Noted Backgrounds(retired), and I Am(retired)

ink: Black(dye),  Ruby and Honey(pigment), and Ruby reinker

embellishments:  Black brads(retired) and clear detail embossing powder(retired)

tools:  spray pen

  Thanks for stopping by and come back again soon.

Happy Valentine’s Day

  Today is Valentine’s Day. The day for roses, chocolates, and  love.  I can’t give you roses or chocolates, but I can express my love.  I just wanted to say that I LOVE when you stop by to visit my blog.  I enjoy making cards and am glad to share them with you.  I have made a total of 45 Valentine’s Day cards.  I have not shared that many here, but I think I have shared some of the best.  I saved this card to show on Valentine’s Day.  I think he is adorable. 

 

  I love CCR.  I like that I can size the monkey and branches to the card front before cutting.  I like that I can then size the banana to fit perfectly with monkey’s hand.  It is so much fun to create a card using the Cricut Craft Room.  You can see the card before actually making the card to see what works or doesn’t work.

  Here is the inside of the card.  It is a stamp that I thought worked perfectly with the adorable monkey.

  

  Looking at it now,  I should have stamped a banana on the lower right corner.  I’ll probably do that later.  I would do it now and take a new picture, but my camera told me that my battery was exhausted.    Exhausted from what I don’t know, it just sits in my camera not really doing anything.  I don’t take that MANY pictures. 

All Supplies Close To My Heart unless noted:

paper:  White Daisy, Chocolate, Cashmere, Buttercup, Colonial White, Olive, and Ruby and striped paper(unknown)

stamp:  “Valentine”-Say It In Style(retired) and “You drive me bananas”-Fresh Fruits-Fiskars

embellishments:  white gel pen-Sakura

cricut cartridge:  Artiste(banner) and Create a Critter(monkey, banana, and branches)—Provo Craft

  Thanks for visiting and stop by again soon.  Oh, and Happy Valentine’s Day!!!