August - Stamp of the Month

Each month, CTMH releases a special stamp set available for that month only. You can purchase the (Stamp of the Month) SOTM for only $6 when you place an order of $50 or more in Close To My Heart products. Alternatively you may order one or more of this stamp for $21.25.

The August 2016 Stamp of the Month is Purr-fect Halloween. It has a whopping 17 stamps.

Here are projects created with the stamp set by CTMH Corporate artists.

Card

Layout

To get your stamp you can shop on my site at www.dominique.clostemyheart.ca  or email me your order at dominique.fun2cre8@gmail.com


And don't forget
Friends don't let friends craft alone.

à bientôt,
Dominique

Make It Crafty October

Welcome to the •MAKE•IT •Crafty• Seasonal Blog Hop! This month we will be featuring Halloween and Fall creations.

If you’ve arrived from the talented Julie's blog the Scrapzone, you are on the right path! The blog hop is a great big circle, so you can start here and work your way around. If you get lost, don't worry, you’ll find the complete list of participating consultants on Julie's blog.

It’s easy to hop along with us – just click the link at the end of each blog post to move to the next one. Just a gentle reminder to please leave comments for the other bloggers as you hop through! Enjoy.

In this hop we have 10 Close To My Heart Consultants sharing their creations using various CTMH products from either the Annual Inspirations catalogue or Holiday Seasonal one.  These should help you get in the mood for Fall.

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I looove decorating for Halloween, so I created spooky pop up box cards. It's a card that stands up on its own, so you can use is as decor.

Halloween pop up cards

Instructions
To make a pop up box card, cut a sheet of pattern paper or cardstock at 11.5" by 5.5" and cut a 1" strip into 2 pieces 4.75" long to be used as stabilizers.

To make the sides of the box take the big piece and score at 2.75", 5.50", 8".25 and 11".  
To make the flaps, rotate the paper 90 degrees and score at 2.5" and fold down 3 of the sides. I corner rounded the edges.
Keeping one 1 side long and tall. This is the back.

To stabilize the box, take the 2 stabilizer pieces and score them at 1" from each end and
fold them into Z shape and glue them to the sides of the box. It looks like this.

Now comes time to decorate.

Haunted House pop up card

For the card with the haunted house, I used a sheet of Nevermore (X7198) paper. All the Halloween images were cut from the Artbooking Cricut cartridge (Z3169).   For the front flap, I used some black shimmer trim and the word "Spooky" in Thistle cardstock (X5769). For the 2 slide flaps, I cut the zip strip and mat it on whisper cardstock (X5929) and popped up. The iron fence and the haunted house are glued to the stabilizers.

I also decorated the bottom with a bit of purple sparkly shimmer trim (Z1919) for when the card is closed.

Closed card

For the black card, I cut up the new see through PML (Z3175) and used them to support the ghosts so they look like they are floating in the air. The ghosts were cut using the Artistry cartridge (Z3167).

Halloween Ghost pop up card

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Thank you so much for following along on our Blog Hop today! I hope you enjoyed all the lovely artwork. Now it’s time to head on over to Diana's blog and see her gorgeous artwork! Be sure to visit all the Consultants at their Blogs to get some great crafting ideas! Look for our next Blog Hop where we will feature beautiful projects for the Holidays, see you soon!

And don't forget
Friends don't let friends craft alone.

à bientôt,
Dominique

Halloween pop-up card

It's Halloween week, and we can't celebrate Halloween without a haunted house.

Here is a pop-up card I made using the new Cricut Artfully Sent cartridge.

I cut the images out of p. 44.
The grey liner is cut at 7 3/4" using the "Pop-up" "Shift" keys.  I stuck a piece of Canary yellow behind the moon before sticking it down to a colonial base cut out at 8" using the "Pop-up" key.

The haunted house is cut at 3" using the "Icon" key. Glued scraps of canary behind the windows.
The spooky tree is cut at 2 3/4" using the "Icon" and "Shift" keys.

Supplies
Cardstock: Whisper, Black, Canary
Stamp set: August 2014 SOTM
Ink: Thistle

Thanks for visiting. I love getting your comments and feedback. Be sure to leave a comment below.

à bientôt,
Dominique

Halloween bag toppers - You've been ghosted !

Do you know this tradition? Some places call it "boo-ing", others call it "ghosting" or being "ghosted".
The idea is the week before Halloween, you make up a bag of candy/treats, kids go over to a friend's or neighbour's house, secretly leave the bag behind from the "Phantom Ghost", ring the bell and run! It's a cute little game and the kids love it.

See below for the full poem.

I saw the Challenge Me Monday... Challenge #234 Halloween Projects so I made these bag toppers for the bags of candy.

Both toppers were cut using the Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge, on p.25. The "card" image was cut out at 4 1/2" real dial size, and scored into two.

Bag toppers

On the left
Before scoring, run the piece of purple Gypsy through the BigKick using the CTMH woodgrain embossing folder for texture. Stamp the pumpkin image from the August of SOTM onto a Daisy White cardstock circle, distress in thistle ink and stick it to a scalloped circle in Sunset orange cardstock.

On the right
The topper on the right was made using the Scaredy Cat paper. The label was cut from the Cricut Artiste cartridge on p.33 at 1". The stamp set used is the super versatile Holiday Tags. The label was stamped in Gypsy purple and the sentiment in Slate grey ink.

When the toppers were ready - We slid pipe cleaners inside and created a loop so they could hang off doorknobs. We stapled the topper to the bag of  halloween candy and to the poem.

Here is the poem in case you want to make your own

               BOO !

YOU HAVE BEEN GHOSTED !

The Phantom Ghost has come to town

To leave some goodies… I see you’ve found.

If you wish to make this a happier fall…

Continue this greeting, this phantom call.

First, post this Ghost where it can be seen,

And leave it there until Halloween.

This will scare other Phantoms who may visit,

Be sure to participate, you don’t want to miss it !

Second, fill 2 bags with candy and treats.

And make 2 copies of this GHOSTING sheet.

Deliver them to two neighbours, try to stay calm.

Don’t let them see you, be sneaky no doubt…

And make sure they put their Phantom Ghost out !!

Next you have only one day to act, so be quick !

Leave it at doors where the Phantom hasn’t hit.

Deliver at a time when no one is home…

Stay out of sight… for it adds to the fun.

And last, but not least, come join in the season.

Don’t worry, be happy, you need no good reason.

This is all in good fun and we are just trying to say…  

HAPPY HALLOWEEN & HAVE A GREAT DAY !!

  

à bientôt,
Dominique

Color Dare #116 - Thistle and Sunset

This week at Color My Heart Challenge Blog, the Color Dare #116  is Thistle and Sunset - two of the colours featured in the Scaredy Cat paper pack.

I was invited over to give a Halloween-themed workshop on the weekend and was asked to make it "cheerful". That was a challenge - but these colours and the Scaredy Cat paper is perfect for that!

So we made this card.

Scaredy Cat Pumpkin

For the front

I stamped the pumpkin stamp from the August of SOTM onto a Colonial paper circle, distressed in thistle ink and put on a scalloped circle in Sunset. Underneath, I put the zip strip with bats from the Scaredy Cat paper across. I then matted a rectangular piece of Scaredy Cat paper onto Thistle. 

à bientôt,
Dominique

Halloween Witch's Hat - spiderweb

And for the 3rd day in a row - I am posting the CTMH tutorial on how to make a witch's hat. This is another variation using the cone and base shapes, by simply changing the paper and using different accessories and embellishments. To find the complete list of materials required, you can see them here in the Annual Inspirations recipes.

Spiderweb-Topped Hat

Cricut^® Shapes

Artiste

Circle: 7 ½" Card (p. 48)

Sunburst: 9" Accent 3 <5> (p. 35)

Yo-Yo: 1 ¼" Shift+Card (p. 55)

Decorative Circle: 2" and 3 ¼" Accent 4 <5> (p. 35)

Spike Flowers: 1 ¾" and 2" Shift+Accent 2 (p. 54)

Artbooking

Corner Spiderwebs: 3 ½" RDS Shift+Overlay (cut 2, p. 70)

• This hat’s base is made from a sunburst shape from the Cricut® Artiste cartridge.

• The spiderweb topper is made from two webs cut from the Cricut^®Artbooking cartridge.  Adhere their edges together and trim hat as necessary.

• The spider image is from the Scaredy Cat Complements.

• The focal point of this hat is made from a stamped image from the Halloween Greetings stamp set.

• The pleated strip of B&T at the base of the cone was stitched before being adhered to the cone.

Batty Hat

Cricut^® Shapes:

Artiste

Yo-Yo: 1 ½" Shift+Card (p. 50)

Decorative Circle: 4" Accent 4 <5> (p. 35)

Circle: 9 ½" Card (p. 48)

Cupcake Liners: 2" Accent 4 (cut 4, p. 77)

Spike Flowers: 1 ¾" and 3" Shift+Accent 2 (p. 54)

Round Flowers: 3 ¼" and 3 ½" Accent 2 (p. 54)

To find a list of the other materials required, please refer to the Annual Inspirations recipes.

• The streamers dangling from this hat are made from a variety of Scaredy Cat B&T papers that have been folded accordion-style and attached at the top.

• This hat’s focal point is an image cut from a sheet of Scaredy Cat B&T. The bat images are Scaredy Cat Complements.

And don't forget
Friends don't let friends craft alone.

à bientôt,
Dominique

Halloween Witch's Hat - Bats

And for day the second day in a row -  here is another variation of the witch's hat using the same cone and base shapes, just different accessories and embellishments. Below I have pasted the tutorial from the CTMH blog. You can see the complete list of materials required here, in the the Annual Inspirations recipes.

Batty Hat

Cricut^® Shapes:

Artiste

Yo-Yo: 1 ½" Shift+Card (p. 50)

Decorative Circle: 4" Accent 4 <5> (p. 35)

Circle: 9 ½" Card (p. 48)

Cupcake Liners: 2" Accent 4 (cut 4, p. 77)

Spike Flowers: 1 ¾" and 3" Shift+Accent 2 (p. 54)

Round Flowers: 3 ¼" and 3 ½" Accent 2 (p. 54)

To find a list of the other materials required, please refer to the Annual Inspirations recipes.

• The streamers dangling from this hat are made from a variety of Scaredy Cat B&T papers that have been folded accordion-style and attached at the top.

• This hat’s focal point is an image cut from a sheet of Scaredy Cat B&T. The bat images are Scaredy Cat Complements.

à bientôt,
Dominique

Halloween Witch's Hat

So you have seen the adorable girl wearing the prettiest witches hat on page 38 of the Annual Inspirations catalogue. I think I know a few girls who'd like to make this hat...and I'm looking forward to showing them.

October 31 Hat

Well several CTMH clients have asked for instructions on how to recreate them and you can find step-by-step directions on Jeannette Lynton's blog. but I copied them here for you. You can use the Annual Inspirations recipes to find a list of the other materials required, but here is the list of Cricut® Shapes:

Artiste cartridge
Spike Flowers: 3 ½" and 4 ½" Shift+Accent 2 (p. 54)
Round Flowers: 3 ½" and 2 ¾" Accent 2 (cut several, p. 54)
Cupcake Liners: 2 ½" and 2" Accent 4 (cut 4 of each, p. 77)
Circle: 11" Card (p. 48)
Vines: 1", 1 ½”, and 1 ¾" Shift+3D Object (cut several, p. 54)
Spiderweb: 4 ½" Accent 4 (p. 76)
Banners: 1 ¼" and 2" Accent 2 <5> (cut several, p. 35)

Cone and Base
1. Attach two sheets of 12" x 12" B&T paper on top of two sheets of 12" x 12" cardstock. This double-sheet thickness is needed for extra stability in the cone of the hat.

2. Using tape, attach the two sheets of layered 12" x 12" papers together to form a 24" length. Ensure that edges are precisely aligned.

3. Starting from one corner, roll the paper into a cone, adjusting to form your desired shape. Use a strong adhesive to hold it in place. Hats will measure differently according to how tight you roll your cone.

4. Cut the 11" circle to form the base of the hat.

5. Center the cone on the base and trace the bottom of cone onto circle shape. Trace another circle within the first, about a 1/2" smaller than the original.

6. Trim out innermost center circle, then use scissors to cut ½" slits approximately 1" apart around the entire outer circle to create tabs. Fold tabs upward.

7. Staple, or adhere with a strong adhesive, the tabs into the cone, starting from where you would like the front of your hat to be.

Edging

1. Cut out spiderweb cupcake liners and trim off the tabs.

2. Attach four of the 2 ½" spiderweb liners underneath the base of circle so that the edges of the webs extend beyond the rim of the hat.

3. Attach the 2" spiderweb liners along the top of the hat’s brim against the inner edges, near the cone.

Decoration

1. Select where you would like the front of your hat to be and adhere the 2" banner to it.

2. Adhere 1 ¼" banners overlapping the larger banner around the bottom of the cone.

3. Cut several ½" strips of B&T paper, pleat them, and attach them end to end on the bottom of the cone.

4. Cut out flowers, spiderweb, and vines from the Cricut^® Artiste cartridge.

5. Use an embossing tool to mold the leaves of the branch shapes. Ink the edges with Slate ink using the sponge dauber.

6. Ink the edges of the flowers in Thistle and Sunset using the sponge dauber. Using your quilling tool, roll the flowers, adhere them closed, and add Sparkles to the center of each as desired.

7. Attach the spiderweb to the side of the cone and layer the floral arrangement on top of it.

8. Back the “Spooky” metal shape from your Scaredy Cat Complements with Thistle cardstock and add it to the floral arrangement.

Top of Hat

1. Cut a 2" x 12" strip of Thistle cardstock. Cut a 1" notch every ¼".

2. Using your quilling tool, roll the strip until the solid edge is small enough to fit into the hole at the top of the cone. Adhere it so it cannot unroll. Make sure the roll is small enough to fit into the top of the cone. If needed, trim the tip of the hat to allow more space for the topper. 

3. Fit the curled hat topper into the hole at the top of the hat and secure with adhesive.

4. Using your quilling tool, roll the ¼" strips downward into tight curls.

5. Cut the ribbon into 3" pieces, loop them, and adhere them individually to the top of the hat, arranging them in layers.

6. Add stars from the Scaredy Cat Assortment.

Embellishment
Embellish your hat with the Scaredy Cat Assortment, sequins from the Mini-Medley Accents black collection, Slate diagonal striped ribbon, or other accents of your choice.

And don't forget
Friends don't let friends craft alone.

à bientôt,
Dominique

Scary or Sweet, Trick or Treat

Halloween is around the corner.

Here is a cute little image from Close to My Heart that you can print up to decorate your home this Halloween season.

Simply click here. The link will take you to a PDF file that can be easily downloaded or printed from your computer. Happy Halloween!


à bientôt,
Dominique

Cut Above and Designer Creations

CTMH launched two new lines in their Annual Inspirations 2014; the Cut Above and the Designer Creations.

Cut Above

this line carries card and treat bag kits for quick crafting. All pieces of the kit are pre-cut and ready to be assembled. Coordinating stamp images designed especially for these kits fit perfectly on the die-cut pieces and can be stamped in a single color of ink.

The treat bag kits come in 2 themes, Halloween and Christmas and contain printed treat bags, stickers, pre-cut cardstock circles, 3-D foam squares, and cellophane bags

The card kits come in 4 themes (birthday, thank you and Christmas) and contain various mixes of card bases, envelopes, 3-D foam squares, die-cut shapes, stickers, printed pieces, and embellishments. 

 

Designer Creations This line carries 3-D items in fun colors and patterns such as boxes and bags meant to hold your handmade art, photos, or other treats. 

The kraft paper takeout  boxes with metal wire handle folds into a cute gift box. Comes in pack of 2. It is 4" tall and tapers from 4" square top to 3" square bottom. 

 

The buttoned bag can be fastened shut, making storage convenient.Comes in pack of 2.  The slate bags are 7" × 4½" with foldable top.

The cupcake box includes a round base—just the right size for a cupcake—and a viewing window. Comes in pack of 2.

  

The 5" × 7" album are ideal for holding photos and other paper pieces and embellishments. Contains 10 kraft pages; kraft printed hardcover and is wire-bound.

The 5" × 4" mini chipboard frames come in pack of 3, Ruby. Fit 2" × 3" photos.










The paper bags come in several different designs and 4 colours, Lagoon, Honey, Ruby and Slate.