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!!!

A Simple Valentine’s Day Card

   Welcome to the middle of the week, I hope everyone is having a great week.  Today’s card is a simple one I think.  It uses washi tape and an embossing folder to give it some character.

  Using the CCR* for sizing, I cut the card out at 4.25” by 8.5” and when folded measures 4.25" by 4.25" and fits into a regular envelope.  I then ran the front through my cuttlebug using the Love Language embossing folder.  I cut a piece of White Daisy 3” by 3” and covered it with the heart washi tape.  This piece I place over the cut out heart on the back on the card front.  I used pop dots to lift it away from the card front.  When I was designing this card in my head,  this was it for the card.  This happens to you too I’m sure( that when you are actually making the card, it changes) and this is what happened here.  After I had made the card, I decided it needed the red heart in the middle on the washi tape to break up the design.  I like the results and from start to finish the card probably only took 10 minutes. 


*CCR-Cricut Craft Room


All supplies Close To My Heart unless noted:
paper:  White Daisy and Holiday Red(retired)
embellishments:  Heart washi tape—Darice
tools:  Love Language embossing folder—Cuttlebug
cricut cartridge—Art Philosophy


Thanks for visiting and stop back soon.

Love is in the Air

  It is the week of love.  Friday is Valentine’s Day, and this week I will be sharing Valentine projects with you.  I do not have a fancy cell phone, and I have seen made cell phone covers that are cute but don’t fit my phone.  I was in my craft area and had an inspiration.  I could use Cricut vinyl and make my own.  Since it is close to Valentine’s Day, I decided that I would decorate it with hearts first.  I purchased a vinyl sampler pack at Joann’s and having been waiting to use it.  Here is my decorated phone.

  I am planning on decorating it for all the holidays and other interest that I have.  I’ll be sure to share with you what I make.

Supplies:

vinyl: Cricut-Joann’s

cricut cartridges:  Art Philosophy-Close To My Hear and Cake Basics and Sweethearts-Provo Crafts

  Thanks for visiting and stop back soon.

Love

  I promised another card today, and here it is.  It’s a little late.  My husband was off today and nothing ever goes as planned when he is here with me.  We did go do a little shopping before the snow comes.  They are calling for 2 to 5 inches.  That may not be much to some, but it’s enough to make me glad I can stay home and craft or, if I’m desperate enough, the HOUSEWORK so on to today’s post.

  I really need to come up with some catchy titles for my post.  I titled this one “Love” because it is a card with Love on the front.  It could also refer to my love of warmer weather, my love for my hours in my craft area, or the great love I have for my kids. 

  For this card, I used a technique that I saw Heidi Swapp do on My Craft Channel.  She is so talented and has designed her own line of Color Magic sprays.  I thought to myself,  I could do this.  I used the back of a heart stamp and stamped with VersaMark onto White Daisy cardstock and  then spread clear embossing powder over the hearts and using my heat gun, embossed.  I then used Blush reinker and water in a spray bottle and sprayed over the entire cardstock wiping off the spray with a tissue.  The hearts that are embossed resist the Blush  colored spray.  I then added  the White Daisy cardstock onto Black cardstock.  I added a little strip of patterned paper with a narrow piece of ribbon between the two.  I’m not crazy about the ribbon where it says “loves me not”, but, it matched the paper perfectly, I had to add it.

  This technique is so much fun that you’ll probably see it again.

All supplies Close To My Heart unless noted

paper: Sweetheart(retired), White Daisy and Black cardstock

stamps:  Whooo’s Your Valentine(retired)

ink:  Blush reinker

tools:  spray bottle

cricut cartridge:  Artiste

ribbon: KI memories

What I’ve been Up To

   I decided to not let you wait until tomorrow to see what I have been up to lately.  I have been making Valentine’s Day cards as I said earlier.  I actually sold some and still have many ideas for more.  My husband might sell some at work.  This is one that I made with my new cricut cartridge,  Suburia.  This cartridge has a fifties feel to it and is just what I like with icons of a fan, vacuum cleaner, toaster, and a television to name a few. 

  Here is another card.  I have had these heart doilies for EVER.  I finally got to use them.  I think it turned out pretty cute.  It is hard to see, but the hearts are embossed with some really cool embossing powder that is gold, pink, and white together.  The name is Shabby Pink from Stampendous.

All supplies Close To Heart unless noted
Biggest Fan
paper:  Black, Slate, White Daisy, Ruby, and Hollyhock cardstock
ink: Black, Ruby, Blush, and Hollyhock
stamp(s):  Puns of Praise, You are My Happy(retired), Whooo’s Your Valentine(retired)
cricut cartridges:  Art Philosophy(hearts) with CCR and Suburbia
Cupid
paper:  White Daisy and Blush cardstock, patterned paper DCWV
ink: Blush
embossing powder:  Gold—a’ la mode and Shabby Pink--Stampendous
  I’m trying to use up old supplies to make room for new.  I think you know how that’s going to work out.  Don’t worry.  I still post tomorrow as promised.  Have a great day and stay warm.

Hi, everyone.  I'm just letting you know that I'm still here.  I've been working hard on Valentine's Day cards and others.  Check back tomorrow for some pictures.  I  just wanted to thank you for taking the time to visit me today.