Free March Class – Memory Keeping-Welcome to our Free March Class dedicated to Memory Keeping! This is our class that is dedicated to creating 12x12 scrapbook layouts. In this month's memory keeping class, we will be working on the following topics: Kit of the Month: Close To My Heart's Life is a Hoot Organizational Tip: How to organize your coloring tools - Especially pens & watercolor pencils Creative 15 Tips: How to start determining what you have for coloring tools (Swatching watercolor pencils) Technique: Adding color with pens and watercolor pencils Color of the month - Wisteria Here are a few products that I… ... Read More
Free March Class – Memory Journal March 16, 2023-Welcome to our Free March Class dedicated to Memory Journals! In this month's memory journal class, we will be working on the following topics: Kit of the Month: Close To My Heart's Life is a Hoot Organizational Tip: How to organize your coloring tools - Especially pens & watercolor pencils Creative 15 Tips: How to start determining what you have for coloring tools (Swatching watercolor pencils) Technique: Adding color with pens and watercolor pencils Color of the month - Wisteria Here are a few products that I would bring to class with you to be able to try the… ... Read More
March 2023 Free Classes-Welcome to our March free classes! While its still cold and snowy here in Colorado, I hope the weather is warming up for the rest of you. If not, March's kit, Life's A Hoot, will brighten anyone's day. Class Schedule: Thursday - March 16, 2023 - Memory Journal Class (smaller format scrapbooking class) Tuesday - March 21, 2023 - Memory Keeping Class (12x12 Scrapbooking class) Thursday - March 23, 2023 - Greeting Card Class Tuesday - March 28, 2023 - Craft With Heart kit video release Here are our topics for the month: Kit of the Month - Life's A… ... Read More
New Product Catalog – April to June 2023-I am so excited to announce a new sneak peek at our new product catalog for April to June of 2023. Click Here to View our new product catalog for April to June, 2023 You can shop 24/7 at our online store HERE starting April 1, 2023 or contact me if you would like to preorder. Here is a quick introduction to our monthly kits in this catalog: Cosette is our April Kit: Colors: Desert Rose, Papaya, Peach, Mulberry, Mist, Seabrook, Pine, Honey Butter, Toffee, White Daisy, French Vanilla, Black Theme: Cosette has a very vintage theme with soft colors… ... Read More
5 things we love about stamping-I just had to share this wonderful article from Close To My Heart's Blog entitled "5 things we love about stamping" as it shows so many of the wonderful joy of using stamps on your memory keeping or gifting projects. Why do we love stamps? There are so many varieties of stamps, that you can find almost anything you might need. Stamps make the creative process easier and can inspire you on your project. Stamps can be used in so many ways that it is almost endless as to the number of combinations you can make with stamp sets. Stamps… ... Read More
January 2023 Classes-Welcome to January 2023's classes! I am so excited to kick off this new year with a new format for our 2 hour long classes and new content. Here are our January 2023 classes: Tuesday, Jan 17 - 6pm-8pm (mountain time) - Memory Keeping class - Our 12x12 Scrapbooking class Wednesday, Jan 18 - 6pm-8pm (mountain time) - Memory Journal class - Our memory keeping class dedicated to smaller formats or projects Tuesday, Jan 24 - Our Craft With Heart Scrapbooking videos will be available for January 2023 scrapbooking layouts Thursday, Jan 26 - 6pm-8pm (mountain time) - Greeting card class… ... Read More
January 2023 Class Calendar-Welcome to 2023 and our January class calendar!! I am excited to announce our classes for January 2023 and to introduce a couple of changes for 2023. First of all, by popular demand, I have added a greeting card class to our online events lineup. This class will be the 4th Thursday of every month. Also, the Craft With Heart subscription class will now be held via video instead of an online event for 2023. This will help us all get caught up and stay current with these kits. Our class formats are also changing, we will spend the first… ... Read More
Dec22Kit – Welcome to December 2022 – Calendar, Class Schedule & Featured Kits-Wow, can you believe it is already December and we are ready for #Dec22Kit, Freshly Baked, and all of our December classes. We are holding just 2 classes this month due to the holidays, Memory Keeping on December 6 and Memory Journal on December 15 to make sure that everyone has plenty of time to prepare for the holidays and most importantly spend time with their loved ones and make those cherished memories that we can scrapbook! Our #Dec22kit featured kit is Freshly Baked and it is a wonderful sea of modern Christmas colors for getting a head start on… ... Read More
Forest Critters – December 2022 Stamp of the Month-Stamp of the Month December 2022: Forest Critters Spend $50 and get this Stamp of the Month set for just $5. Create the perfect winter scene on your holiday planner, journal, scrapbooking pages or cards with this wonderful new stamp from Close To My Heart. Each month you can purchase a new D-size stamp set valued at $19.95 for just $5—or you can get it for FREE as a VIP Customer! Qualify for this special pricing by placing an order of $50 or more in Close To My Heart products. This month’s set is only available December 1–31. This set… ... Read More
Christmas Snowflake Mandalas – November Stamp of the Month-November 2022: Christmas Snowflake Mandalas Stamp Stamp of the Month Spend $50 and get this Stamp of the Month set for just $5 This Christmas Snowflake Mandalas stamp set is perfect for your holiday greeting cards, winter scrapbook pages or your art journals. The set of 9 stamps includes the following: Merry Christmas Enjoy the Magic of the Season Small mandala snowflake Medium mandala snowflake Large mandala snowflake Season's Greetings Wishing you a JOYFUL CHRISTMAS Holiday border HEARTFELT HOLIDAY WISHES Recommended Blocks: 1″ × 1″ (Y1000), 1″ × 3½″ (Y1002), 3″ × 3″ (Y1006), 4″ × 4″ (Y1017) Subscribe… ... Read More
Savings Start Now!-Pre-Black Friday sale! I am excited to let you know about three money saving opportunities to purchase Close to my Heart products. The Pre-Black Friday sale is a new one we’re introducing this year, and we can’t wait to offer so many savings this holiday season! This sale will feature a selection of Paper Packet + Sticker Sheets, standalone paper packets, and select scrapbooking workshops from our Core Products and October–December catalogs, all at 20%-off! This sale started at 3:00 pm (MST) on November 18 and will end at 11:59 pm (MST) on November 23. Items featured during this sale… ... Read More
Product Special – Seas & Greetings Collection through December 31, 2022-Make Christmas crafts that match your memories with the Seas & Greetings collection, featuring designs for both warm and cold weather celebrations! The double-sided paper packet and accompanying sticker sheet feature both beach and winter designs, giving you creative control over the look you want for your projects. Get even more creative options by choosing stamp sets, Thin Cuts, and accessories that fit your holiday festivities. ... Read More
October 2022 Stamp of the Month: Blessings of the First Noel-October 2022 Stamp of the Month: Blessings of the First Noel Spend $50 and get this Stamp of the Month set for just $5. These stamps will make some amazingly funny holiday cards and will give your recipients quite the chuckle as they nod their heads in agreement to these slightly sweet, slightly snarky stamps. I can think of just the few perfect people on my holiday card list to send these to (and you know who are!). Each month you can purchase a new D-size stamp set valued at $19.95 for just $5—or you can get it for FREE… ... Read More
September 2022 Class Schedule-One of the things that I love about being a Close to My Heart Consultant is the focus of teaching my fellow crafters how to use the wonderful products that I sell, so I'm always so happy to put out each months class schedule. The September 2022 class schedule is below and besides our 3 regularly scheduled classes, we have 2 special classes scheduled for this month. Here are a few key dates to add to your calendar - Don't forget to register below to receive your Zoom link for class: September 6 - Memory Keeping Class September 8 -… ... Read More
August 2022 Class Schedule-One of the things that I love about being a Close to My Heart Consultant is the focus of teaching my fellow crafters how to use the wonderful products that I sell, so I'm always so happy to put out each months class schedule. The August 2022 class schedule is below and there are still 2 classes to add to it this month so stay tuned for those dates. Here are a few key dates to add to your calendar - Don't forget to register below to receive your Zoom link for class: August 1 - Our new annual catalog… ... Read More
New 2022-2023 Annual Catalog-It's here!!! The BRAND NEW Close To My Heart Core Catalog!! There are some wonderful new kits, stamps, thin cuts, and awesome ideas between these covers, and I am so excited to teach you all about these products in the coming year!! Be sure to scroll down to check out the 6 new colors that have been added to our line for this year. They are so soft and gorgeous. You can view this catalog on my website at https://ars.closetomyheart.com/ctmh/products/online-catalog.aspx... and when you place any-sized order, you can opt to add this catalog free to your order! Here is an… ... Read More
July Memory Journal Class Wrap Up & Challenge-We had a wonderful Memory Journal class on July 14, thank you to all who attended in person. If you were not able to attend, here is a quick summary of what we covered and the challenge for the month so that you can participate for the chance to win the Stamp of the Month. The Challenge ends August 10 so scroll down to read what you need to do to be entered to win!! I look forward to seeing everyone in our next online class on August 11 at 6PM mountain time. Here is what we covered: What is… ... Read More
Overstock Offer – Get the VIP Treatment-Shop a selection of special items previously only available to VIP Customers and Makers through this limited overstock offer! Our VIP Customers have enjoyed several exclusive product and workshop offerings as a perk of our VIP Customer program. For a limited time, we are making some of these items available to all customers to give you a taste of the VIP treatment, too! These items will be available through August 31, but only while supplies last, so make sure to take advantage of this opportunity while you can! SHOP NOW Enjoy wonderful patterned paper, stickers, stamps, card making collections, journal… ... Read More
2022 Retiring Colors-Its that time of year that we have both good news and bad news, we welcome new colors and we have retiring colors. With our new annual catalog fast approaching in August, its time to say goodbye to some of our older colors. While its always a little sad to see a few of our favorites retire, its so exciting to see the new colors and let me tell you, I've seen the new colors at our annual convention and they are AWESOME!! Stay tuned for an announcement of the new colors coming soon. Here are our 2022 retiring colors:… ... Read More
Our new catalog launches today-Our new catalog launches today and its in a brand new format. Instead of being every two months, our catalogs are going to quarterly. I am so excited for this new time period as we will have some extra time to play with our new crafty supplies. ... Read More
June Monthly Subscription Kit Class-Monthly Subscription Technique Class - June 21, 2022 - 6pm MST - Craft With Heart Monthly Subscription Kit Class PURCHASE this kit HERE When: Tuesday, June 21, 2022 - 6pm - 8pm mountain time Where: Zoom (Register below to get your link emailed to you) Who: Any of our current subscribers or anyone interested in learning more about this class Why: To create 2 double page layouts in just 2 hours. Document your memories and get caught up on some scrapbook pages What to bring: September 2021 Cut Above Kit Journaling pen Adhesive Layout #1 - Document Today - This… ... Read More
A Crafty Life Is a Happy Life-This week's happy thought is: A Crafty life Is a Happy Life! TECHNIQUE TIP: I am having so much fun creating these fun little saying that I've even started a 6x8 scrapbook for them so I can keep them all together. I have really never created this type of no photo artwork before and I can say it is really fun. Is there some memory that you want to capture or some feeling, but don't have a photo for it? Go ahead and scrap it! Find a cute saying, journal about it, or take a photo from the internet. Remember,… ... Read More
Memory Keeping Workshop – Candid Moments-Create & Crop with us - Candid Moments Memory Keeping Workshop November 14, 2021 - Saturday @ 8AM MST Each month we will be working with a brand new Close To My Heart Kit to create 3 double page layouts or 6 single page layouts or any combination thereof. You will receive the kit contents below and also a interactive class via Zoom to help you in creating the layouts and additional ideas on how to use the kit to fit with your photos. If you can't attend class, thats OK, we will miss you but you will also receive… ... Read More
Created To Shine!-We all have those days where we need just a little positive encouragement and I'm definitely no exception, so just remember that we were all "CREATED TO SHINE!". I love concentrating on one quote per week, whether it be a snarky crafty saying or just a little positive note to brighten my day (and hopefully yours). TITLE: Created to Shine! RECIPE: November's Stamp of the month - Created to Shine (S2111 Close To My Heart) Candid Moments Scrapbooking stamp (D2065 Close To My Heart) Sundance Ink & Cardstock (Close To My Heart) Sapphire Ink & Cardstock (Close To My Heart)… ... Read More
Fall Kit Crafty Sayings – Some Days…-So who else is with me? Surely I can't be the only one who constantly searches for things while they are in plain site.... I absolutely love this fall kit, Pumpkin Spice, and thought it was the perfect colors to showcase one of my favorite crafty sayings. I'm going to be creating a whole 6x8 mini album of my favorite sayings so please subscribe to our newsletter to see the others. RECIPE: Pumpkin Spice Paper Packet (Close To My Heart) - Limited time kit Crafting shapes thin cuts (Close to My Heart) - ON SALE NOW for $15.00 Alpha Doodles… ... Read More
2021-2022 Annual Catalog-The 2021-2022 annual catalog is now available for ordering. Take a stroll through the pages of the catalog for new paper packs, stamps, ink and cardstock colors. ... Read More
VIP Program – Savings on every purchase-What is a VIP Program and what benefits will I get with my VIP Status? Earn 15% shopping credit on all orders Get a FREE stamp of the month with a $50 monthly qualifying purchase. Get access to exclusive specials through the year (Scrapbooking, Cardmaking, etc) Get a $15 initial VIP credit balance when you sign up Free stamp set on each year of renewal LEARN MORE about VIP Status: Here are just a few of the current scrapbooking and cardmaking exclusive kits available to you: Happy Scrappin! ... Read More
New Paper Packs – New Annual Catalog!-I just had to share this excerpt from a post from Close To My Heart's Blog on the new paper packs available now. There are so many reasons to love fall, and one of our favorites is the release of our new annual Core Products Catalog! From day one of this beautiful catalog, hundreds of new Close To My Heart items and fresh ideas have been readily available and within your grasps! We are as committed as ever to our promise of being there to “show you how,” including providing the right tools and products, whatever your crafting goals may… ... Read More
Memory Journal Class Details – Journaling-One of the most repeated comments that I hear from scrapbookers and memory keepers is that journaling is the hardest part. What if there were a way to make it easier and less time consuming? What if there were some specific questions that you could ask yourself that would make the story complete? Join us in this month's Memory Journal class to learn how to document YOUR STORY. In this class we are going to focus on Memory Journal journaling and capturing our memories in our Memory Journal. We are going to be using some journaling techniques originally taught by… ... Read More
August Craft With Heart Class – Doodling-Monthly Subscription Technique Class - August 17, 2021 - 6pm MST - Craft With Heart Monthly Subscription Kit When: Tuesday, August 17, 2021 - 6pm - 8pm mountain time Where: Zoom (Register below to get your link emailed to you) Who: Any of our current subscribers or anyone interested in learning more about this class Why: To create 2 double page layouts in just 2 hours. Document your memories and get caught up on some scrapbook pages What to bring: August Cut Above Kit Journaling pen Adhesive Fine tipped pens for drawing (white & black) Die Cuts or Stickers in… ... Read More
April Memory Journal Video-Are you interested in documenting your everyday life or something special? Join us for our monthly Memory Journal class on the first Thursday of every month. TITLE: Memory Journal - April, 2021 RECIPE: Close to My Heart kits Cocoa Daisy - Memory Journal kits Stamps & Close to My Heart inks Washi Tape Chipboard Stickers Tags Punches TECHNIQUE TIP: Memory journals come in many different sizes and shapes and mine is a 6x8 Canvo journal (that I took from a spiral notebook into a discbound notebook) from Catherine Pooler Designs. I mix in a variety of paper packs, embellishments and… ... Read More
July Craft With Heart Subscription Class-Monthly Subscription Technique Class - July 20, 2021 - 7pm MST - Craft With Heart Monthly Subscription Kit Join Zoom Meeting Meeting ID: 966 4296 8296 Passcode: 123456 When: Tuesday, July 20, 2021 - 7pm - 9pm mountain time Where: Zoom (Register below to get your link emailed to you) Who: Any of our current subscribers or anyone interested in learning more about this class Why: To create 2 double page layouts in just 2 hours. Document your memories and get caught up on some scrapbook pages What to bring: May Cut Above Kit Journaling pen Adhesive Here are some… ... Read More
White Pines is back!-The White Pines kit collection features the same classic paper designs that made it popular the first time it was available, with a refreshed color palette and several coordinating products, including a new sticker sheet, a coordinating cardstock packet, and FOUR My Acrylix® stamp sets! You can save 20% on this great collection of products with the White Pines Product bundle, which contains each of these special items. You also get discounted prices with the two workshop kits, which include materials for creating scrapbook layouts or cards using items from this great collection, plus a few additional items. Includes: 1… ... Read More
Memory Journal Class – August – Building Kits-Topic: Memory Journal - July Class - Building Kits to speed up your memory keeping process. Time: August 5, 2021 06:00 PM Mountain Time (US and Canada) Join Zoom Meeting https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81639008685?pwd=cGVZUlRxKzI5ZWZmRDdTSDNsbGc0UT09 Meeting ID: 816 3900 8685 Passcode: 123456 In this class we are going to focus on using our base pages and how those work into our Memory Journal. We will put together our "Kit" to complete these pages so that you can use the other 14+ that you made in the June class. The idea is to make this kit be a simple go to container for you to… ... Read More
Lucky Me – Double Page Layout-I absolutely love the Close To My Heart monthly subscription kits. I have been able to use these kits to really make a huge dent into my huge backlog of scrapbook pages that I want to do. I used the March subscription kit to scrapbook this double page layout of my adorable daughter and nieces on a family trip to Tennessee back in March of 2018. TITLE: Lucky Me - March 18, 2018 - Belle Meade, Tennessee RECIPE: Close To My Heart - Craft With Heart Subscription Kit (March, 2021) Adhesive Journaling pen Date stamp Black ink TECHNIQUE TIP: This… ... Read More
June Stamp of The Month – Outdoor Borders-The June stamp of the month is Outdoor Borders. Each month you can purchase a new D-size stamp set valued at $18.95 for just $5—or you can get it for FREE as a VIP Customer! Qualify for this special pricing by placing an order of $50 or more in Close To My Heart products. INSERT PARAGRAPH DESCRIBING STAMP POSSIBLE USES This month’s set is only available June 1-30. This stamp set (S2106) includes 9 images including: Mountain border Happy camper, Back to Nature, Scenic View border Over the hill and through the woods hiking boot border Enjoy the ride bicycle… ... Read More
June Craft With Heart Class-Monthly Subscription Technique Class - June 15, 2021 - 7pm MST - Craft With Heart Monthly Subscription Kit When: Tuesday, June 15, 2021 - 7pm - 9pm mountain time Where: Zoom (Register below to get your link emailed to you) Who: Any of our current subscribers or anyone interested in learning more about this class Why: To create 2 double page layouts in just 2 hours. Document your memories and get caught up on some scrapbook pages What to bring: April Cut Above Kit Journaling pen Adhesive Here are some recommended supplies to gather or if you don’t have them,… ... Read More
May Stamp of The Month – Flowers for You-The May stamp of the month is Flowers for You. Each month you can purchase a new D-size stamp set valued at $18.95 for just $5—or you can get it for FREE as a VIP Customer! Qualify for this special pricing by placing an order of $50 or more in Close To My Heart products. Flowers for you makes beautiful greeting cards and the outlined images are perfect for coloring with your coloring tools such as markers, pens, and ink. These images are also perfect for stamping on card stock and then cutting out to make wonderful scrapbook embellishments. The… ... Read More
Memory Journal Class – May Agenda-I am so excited for this month's Memory Journal class. Now that we have introduced the concept of Memory Journaling, how do we apply those concepts to get our memories documented? This month's class will focus on how to create simple but beautiful layouts using supplies you most likely already have. We will discuss how to take your favorite supplies and convert their use from traditional 12x12 scrapbook layouts to your chosen memory journal format. We will go through some of my favorite recipes to make creating your pages easy so you can spend the time on documenting the memory.… ... Read More
Subscription Kit – April Class Layout 2-Our April subscription kit class was so much fun with these adorable spring themed double page layouts. In our 2 hour class, we completed two layouts and the best news is that they can be created with just the kit contents, adhesive and a journaling pen. But of course, us scrapbookers, always like to add a little "extra" to make them into our style. Our second double page scrapbook layout was spring themed with butterflies and soft pastels. I have to admit that I struggled with this layout at first because I am really not a huge butterfly person. TITLE:… ... Read More
Memory Journaling Class Review Notes-Thank you to everyone for your interest in our memory journaling class. I wanted to post our key discussion points as a source of review or inspiration for everyone. What is memory journaling? If a journal and a scrapbook got married, their child would be a memory journal Collection of your memories / Photos or memorabilia Telling your story in a creative way that is tailored to your lifestyle No rules except HAVE FUN Creative 15 - Quick 15 minute creative breaks Creative outlet to destress, relax, have FUN What types of stories? Daily / Everyday Life (in place of… ... Read More
Subscription Kit – April Class Layout-Our April subscription kit class was so much fun with these adorable spring themed double page layouts. In our 2 hour class, we completed two layouts and the best news is that they can be created with just the kit contents, adhesive and a journaling pen. But of course, us scrapbookers, always like to add a little "extra" to make them into our style. Our first double page scrapbook layout contained 5 photos and had great spring colors. Look for the second layout in a separate post and video. I thought this kit was perfect for some Easter photos of… ... Read More
Memory Journal – Week 10 layouts-I wanted to share last week's memory journal layouts. These 6x8 layouts are so fun and easy to do. I use these layouts in place of project life and memory planners because I feel like I have so much more flexibility and ability to document more of my everyday life. I find that I can "keep up" with the daily layouts so much easier as it takes me about an average of 15 minutes to do each page which fits right in with my Creative 15 theme for 2021. TITLE: Week 10 - Memory Journal 6x8 layouts SUPPLIES USED: Memory… ... Read More
March Stamp of The Month – Winged Masterpiece-The March stamp of the month is Winged Masterpiece. Each month you can purchase a new D-size stamp set valued at $18.95 for just $5—or you can get it for FREE as a VIP Customer! Qualify for this special pricing by placing an order of $50 or more in Close To My Heart products. This month’s set is only available March 1–31. This stamp set (S2103) includes 15 images including: Floral butterfly Floral dragonfly Husband Wife Forever wouldn't have been long enough luck to call you friend sending you get well wishes lucky to be your wishing you the happiest… ... Read More
Monthly Craft With Heart Class – March 16-Monthly Subscription Technique Class - March 16, 2021 - 7pm MST - January Craft With Heart Kit When: Tuesday, March 16, 2021 - 7pm - 9pm mountain time Where: Zoom (Register below to get your link emailed to you) Who: Any of our current subscribers or anyone interested in learning more about this class Why: To create 2 double page layouts in just 2 hours. Document your memories and get caught up on some scrapbook pages What to bring: January Cut Above Kit Journaling pen Adhesive Stencil Pack #3 Canary Ink Pad Pewter Ink Pad Sponge Daubers Layout #1 -… ... Read More
New Collection – Daisy Meadows-Introducing the Daisy Meadows Collection Daisy Meadows is a brand new collection available only from March 1 to April 30, 2021. This fun pastel collection has lots of papers, stickers and stamps geared towards spring and the Easter holiday. Coordinating cardstock and ink colors are: Peach, Smoothie, Cinnamon, Peacock, Mint, Fern, Sundance, Canary, Almond, Mink & White Daisy. Coordinating Options for this collection: Daisy Meadows Dots (X7266E) Daisy Meadows Picture My Life Cards (X7266D) Daisy Meadows Scrapbooking Stamp + Thin Cuts (Z3932) Daisy Meadows Cardmaking Stamp + Thin Cuts (Z3933) Here is a quick video flip through of the items… ... Read More
Memory Journal – February Flip Through-I am getting so excited for this week's Memory Journal 101 class so I wanted to share a flip through of my February journal. My journal is currently housed in a 6x8 album with NO page protectors. I wanted this to be more like an actual journal where I can feel and touch each page. It also allows me to create interactive pages as well (see examples in video below). Here is a little bit of my process for my memory journal and we will go into much more detail in our class: I create a kit that I will… ... Read More
Washi Tape Storage, Organization & Catalog-Let’s talk washi tape and how we store it, organize it in our storage containers and inventory or catalog it to know what we have to be able to USE it. I literally have thousands of rolls of washi tape in almost every size, color, and print imaginable. I needed a massive but accessible storage space, a great organization system, and some way to know what I have and match up colors to be able to use my washi tape. Washi Tape Storage Let’s start with how I store my washi tape. I use Three-Drawer Washi Organizer by Michaels. I… ... Read More
Double Page Layouts – February Class-We had a great time creating our two double page layouts this month. Both layouts were from the December Craft With Heart Kit. Our first double page layout contained 4 photos and was great to showcase the fun we have had cross country skiing during last December. For our technique on this page, we practiced our inking techniques and tried several different ways of applying ink to our photo mats. We also looked at the matting of our photos to determine the best way to really showcase them in our layout. We used a few shimmer pens to add a… ... Read More
Memory Journaling 101 – First class of the series-I am so excited to announce that our first in our series of Memory Journal classes, Memory Journaling 101, is set on the calendar. Please join us on Thursday, March 4 at 6pm Mountain / 7pm Cental via zoom for the introductory class. Future classes will be held on the first Thursday of each month at 6PM to 8PM (mountain) where we will work through the setup of your journal each month with our kits, learn some new techniques and have some great fun. These 6x8 Memory Journals are such a great alternative to memory planners, project life and plain… ... Read More
Cardstock Organization Tips – Rainbow theme-Lets talk about that very large and very hard to store item in our craft rooms, cardstock organization and loose sheet patterned paper organization. We are not going to address all of our lovely paper pads or themed paper kits in this article but will address those in a our next organizational tip. I know I have enough solid color heavy weight cardstock and loose patterned paper to open at least 2 scrapbook stores and I love it because I can always find the exact shade that I want, but that hasn't always been the case. Its taken several years… ... Read More
February Featured Kit – Sweet Safari-The Sweet Safari kit only available from January 1 through February 28, 2021. Its perfect for scrapbooking baby pictures, outdoor adventures or masculine layouts. Enjoy this great overview of all the products in this line: Puffy Stickers Patterned paper Cardstock Picture my life cards Scrapbooking Workshop Cardmaking workshop Scrapbooking Stamp & Thin Cuts Set Cardmaking Stamp & Thin Cuts Featured colors: Candy Apple Bluebird Lagoon Avocado Sundance Espresso Black White Daisy Get a closer look at the adorable Sweet Safari paper collection from Close To My Heart, featuring jungle animals and vibrant colors. I love these layouts made from this… ... Read More
Creative 15 Introduction – Start Here-Welcome to my new Monday series on how to pack a little bit of crafting into each and every day, the Creative 15 series. If you are like me and have so many irons in the fire that you can’t keep up with, how do you make time to create each day? How do I come up with the energy to be creative? This series will help you get crafting 15 minutes at a time. You will be amazed at how fast those 15 minute increments can add up to beautiful creative layouts. INTRODUCTION TO CREATIVE 15 Research has shown… ... Read More
Doodled Borders – February Stamp of the Month-Doodled Borders may be my favorite stamp of the month yet because it can be used on so many different creative projects. I have already used this stamp in so many layouts. Its so great for adding just a touch of color or a small embellishment to your layouts and cards. Be sure to get it quickly as it is only available until February 28, 2021. Here are a few examples to give you some ideas on the versatility of this stamp set: Don't forget that this stamp set with disappear on March 1 so order now. ... Read More
Core Product Catalog – September 2020 to August 2021-Close to My Heart's core product catalog for this period is amazing, full of scrapbooking kits, card making kits, stamps, thin cuts and lots of coloring supplies. Here is a complete list of all our coordinating colors for this year: Here are some of my favorite products from this catalog: You can view the entire catalog HERE and even download a PDF copy for yourself. ... Read More
January / February 2021 Catalog-I love that Close To My Heart offers new products every two months in additional to our annual catalog. This catalog for January and February does not disappoint with great kits and stamps for home life and a fantastic Valentines Day kit for cards or scrapbooking. Here are some of my favorite new products from this catalog (just click on the image to purchase): If you would like to see the full catalog, you can VIEW it or download it here. ... Read More
What is Memory Journaling? Watch & Find out…-I am so excited to begin offering a class on memory journaling as an alternative to memory planners, bullet journals and project life. You may ask, What is a "memory journal"? A memory journal is a collection of your memories. Those memories can be of everyday life (which is what I am doing now), travel adventure, special occasions, tribute journals to those we have lost, or a daily journal for your thoughts. There is no right or wrong way to do a memory journal, but I'm here to give you some ideas, kits, and guidance as you begin (or continue)… ... Read More
Memory journaling class SNEAK PEAK-I wanted to give everyone just a quick introduction to my newest class that will be starting later this month, Memory Journaling. If you are like me and have tried memory planning, project life, or bullet journaling and just can’t find the right fit, this may be the perfect class for you. In addition to introducing you to this quick and easy method of preserving your memories, we will discuss how to make journaling easier using a several step method. Here is a quick sneak peak of the finished product of two of my January pages and I’ll have a… ... Read More
Organizing Glitter, Stickles, Liquid Pearls, Nuvo Drops-Here are some tips and tricks for organizing glitter and all these other wonderful color tools: • Glitter glue (Stickles, Moxy, etc) • Loose glitter (fine, chunky, etc) • Liquid Pearls • Nuvo Drops • Other liquid coloring tools (smooch, etc) Who doesn’t have an amazing stash of beautiful glittery liquids? But the real question is, do you know exactly what you have and can you find it quickly to use on your layouts? I struggled for years with keeping these little bottles of glitter, stickles and liquid pearls stored correctly upside down but also within reach so I… ... Read More
February Monthly Subscription Class-February 16, 2021 - 7pm MST - December Craft With Heart Kit When: Tuesday, February 16, 2021 - 7pm - 9pm mountain time Where: Zoom (Register to get your link) Who: Any of our current subscribers or anyone interested in learning more about this class. Why: To create 2 double page layouts in just 2 hours. Document your memories and get caught up on some scrapbook pages What to bring: December Cut Above Kit Journaling pen Adhesive Extra matching cardstock Straight Edge or ruler for our technique lesson Shimmer Brushes Scissors, trimmer and single hole punch Love & Joy Photos… ... Read More
January Stamp Special – Every Thanks-January's stamp of the month is perfect for card makers or anyone who loves to document gratitude in their journal. Every Thanks (S2101) is packed with 25 stamps that express gratitude in a multitude of ways. Pair these great sayings in hand written fonts, layered stamps and shadowed text with icons and additional sayings to convey your gratitude or thanks to others. What is even better than this stamp set, getting it for FREE if you are a VIP member with a purchase in the January. If you are not a VIP, you can still get this great stamp set… ... Read More
Scrapbook Inventory Organization – Overview-The key to Scrapbook Inventory organization and using your Scrapbook Inventory (aka stash) is being able to find the right supply at the right time without spending too much time or organizing it to begin with. In short, you need to organize in the same way that you craft! I am often asked how I do my Scrapbook Inventory Organization with my very large craft inventory and that is a difficult question to answer because everyone scrapbooks a little differently. I, for one, am a very color oriented and theme oriented scrapbooker, therefore, I organize everything by those methods. For… ... Read More
January Subscription Kit Class-Thank you to everyone who attended last night's class and made it so FUN. We had a great time creating the November Craft With Heart layouts and learning about some new inking techniques as well as some new products, Shimmer Brushes. Here is a video to the class just in case you were not able to attend: Or you can watch on my YouTube channel For more information on how to join these classes, CLICK HERE. Here are the two double page layouts that we created in class: ... Read More
VIP Scrapbook Membership Special-With VIP membership, you get access to a multitude of benefits every month. This special offer gives you discounts to be used as credits against future purchases, free stamps, exclusive specials and a special bonus now of $15 when you sign up. VIP Membership Benefits include: Earn 15% shopping credit of retail amount paid Get a free Stamp of the Month with qualifying purchase Access to exclusive specials throughout the year Get $15 VIP Credit when you sign up For more information, take few moments to watch this video: Here is a sneak peak at the January Exclusive Special: Here… ... Read More
Each Day has a Story-This is my first layout from the CTMH Cut Above Kit for September. My photos were very similar to the design that CTMH provided, however I decided to only use the Monday through Friday circles and added some texture to them by cutting them at the 1/3 mark with pinking scissors (who doesn't have those) and reassembling with a small space in them. Our technique on this layout was to create some depth and additional embellishments using glitter glue (heart on the right side) and Nuvo Drops & Liquid Pearls to create my own enamel dots. I actually smeared one… ... Read More
Craft With Heart – Scrapbooking Subscription-Check out the great video showcasing the next 4 months of our Craft With Heart Scrapbooking subscription. Subscribe now to not only enjoy these great kits, but also join a monthly online meeting where we create these pages, learn how to vary the layouts and learn new techniques each month. An annual subscription to make 2 double page layouts each month can be as low as $14.36 per month for all papers, mats, titles, and embellishments. All you need is adhesive and a journaling pen from your stash. ... Read More
Legendary Father’s Day Stamp Set Bundle 20% Off-This fantastic Father's Day stamp set is on sale now through June 30. Regularly priced at $21.90, you can get it now for only $16.95. This bundle includes two stamp sets perfect for scrapbooking your father's day adventures or making that perfect card for someone special in your life. As you commemorate Dad this Father’s Day, the Legendary Father’s Day special provides a wealth of creative potential. Whether you’re a seasoned scrapbooker, a dedicated cardmaker, or just starting to get to know your creative side, the Legendary Father’s Day special is the perfect opportunity to show some love to one… ... Read More
Craft With Heart Scrapbooking Subscription-Be ready to preserve memories as you make them with a Craft with Heart™ Scrapbooking subscription. As a subscriber, you’ll receive regular deliveries of Cut Above® layout kits, each kit featuring two beautifully designed two-page layouts. Your layouts come together in minutes thanks to pre-printed base pages, with complementary die-cuts and stickers to help you preserve your memories in style. Here are a few examples of the May layouts: Click HERE to subscribe to the monthly kit and free zoom meetings to scrapbook the pages together. ... Read More
June Stamp of the month-This is such an awesome stamp and offers so many possibilities for scrapbooking or card making. May’s special monthly stamp is only $5 with the purchase of $50 or you can purchase it for $18.95. ... Read More
Photography Tip – Rule of Thirds-Composition – Rule of 3rds When looking to composing an image, consider placing your primary subject in one of the crossing corners created by dividing your photo into 3 equal parts both horizontally and vertically. In this image of Crystal Mill in the Colorado backcountry, you will notice the mill is on the top right 3rd, and the water runs across the bottom 3rd line and the water fall is near the left 3rd. As you will notice, this is a stronger composition than just placing the mill in the center of the frame. Experiment with subjects and 3rds and… ... Read More
Emerald Pools-EMERALD POOLS - May 5, 2010 - Zion National Park, Utah JOURNALING: Our first full day at Zion Nat'l Park. We got off the shuttle at the Zion Lodge to hike up to Emerald Pools. After the hike we picniced and found ice cream at the lodge. SUPPLIES USED: Cocoa Mint papers & stickers by Cloud 9 ... Read More
Bodie Light-I can't believe it is September and I've done my first layout of our travels in 2011 - Talk about way, way behind!!! When I saw this file created by LisaJane, I knew I had to skip ahead and scrap this photo of the Bodie Lighthouse. BODIE LIGHT - May 26, 2011 - Outer Banks, North Carolina JOURNALING: General Information - Bodie Lighthouse observation trail PHOTOS: Images by Shetzers Photography Workshops and Tours SUPPLIES USED: Lighthouse cut file by LisaJane at FileKutz, BasicGrey Granola and Basics White patterned paper, Stickles Waterfall glitter, Stampabilities Black ink, Tim Holtz Distress ink in… ... Read More
Wonder-WONDER - May 4, 2010 - Zion National Park, Utah JOURNALING: To get to our campsite in Springdale, we had to drive through the tunnel. It was a tight fit SUPPLIES USED: National Park paper, Best Occasions paper, K&Co Boy Scouts title TECHNIQUE TIP: I don't know about you, but I love to buy the most unique patterned paper but then I struggle with how to use it because "I don't want to cover it up". Anyone else ever had that problem? Well, this paper had a great map of Zion National Park that I wanted to use as my… ... Read More
Utah Bound-UTAH BOUND - May 2010 - Utah JOURNALING: May totals: 2,912 miles in 45+ hours of driving SUPPLIES USED: K&Co Road Trip papers and embellishments TECHNIQUE TIP: There are times when a scrapbook page does not need any photos at all to tell a story, but a map and good journaling will do the trick. On this layout, I wanted to show an overview of our trip from the very southern tip of Texas all the way into Utah and its beautiful National Parks. The K & Company Road Trip paper and embellishments were a perfect match for this travel… ... Read More
Tourist-TOURIST - May, 3, 2010 - Flagstaff, Arizona JOURNALING: We overnighted in Flagstaff, AZ at a Camping World with hopes of getting our leaky slide fixed before we headed North. They found the problem but could not fix it. SUPPLIES USED: Postcard, Papers & Embellishments by Best Occasions TECHNIQUE TIP: Sometimes I just don't have the right picture for a layout or I know that I just want a layout that is geared more towards journaling. In those cases, I visit a couple gift shops and look for a postcard that gives a great overview of the place or thing… ... Read More
We’re Off-WE'RE OFF - May 2, 2010 - South Padre Island, Texas - A 12x12, single page, 2 photo travel based scrapbook layout. SUPPLIES USED: Roam papers by K&Co, Cricut Expression, SCAL basic shapes, Flamingo svg file, Vellum letters for title, Journaling cards TECHNIQUES TIPS: For those of you who don't know me well, you may not know that besides my hubby and myself, we have a pink flamingo, Pinkie, that travels with us across North America. I can't say enough how much I love my Cricut and use it at least once on almost 95% of my layouts. I wanted… ... Read More
Feeling Frosty-FEELING FROSTY - July 14, 2010 - Fairbanks, Alaska JOURNALING: We visited the Ice Museum with its fantastic ice sculptures and watched a demonstration on how the ice is carved from huge chunks with power tools. I could not convince Matt to take a nap in the ice house. PHOTOGRAPHS: Angela Shetzer of Shetzers Photography Workshops and Tours SUPPLIES USED: BasicGrey Granola patterned paper, Kraft cardstock, Tim Holtz Distress Ink in Faded Jeans, Stampabilities Black Ink, Doodlebug Designs Paper Frills in Lily White, EK Success Corner Rounder, Gel Writer, Sheer Shimmer Spritz in Frost, Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist in Denim… ... Read More
Isla Gaia-ISLA GAIA - May 1, 2010 - South Padre Island, Texas JOURNALING: Isla Gaia, a female nesting Kemp's Ridley sea turtle was released with a satellite tracker attachment to monitor her movements. We watched her release from Isla Blanca beach. SUPPLIES USED: Roam papers by K&Co, Happy Trails borders by K&Company, corner rounder by EK Success, TECHNIQUE TIP: OK, so I broke my own rule about having white edges exposed on my photographs. Here I actually decided to make the white edges stand out on my photos by taking a piece of sandpaper from my wonderful hubby's toolbox and sanding… ... Read More
Large Animal Research Station-LARGE ANIMAL RESEARCH STATION (LARS) - July 10, 2010 - Fairbanks, Alaska JOURNALING: We walked around the L.A.R.S. to view all the animals PHOTOGRAPHS: Angela Shetzer of Shetzers Photography Workshops and Tours SUPPLIES USED: Bazzill Black cardstock, DCWV World Traveler patterned paper, Bazzill stitch templates, Stampabilities Black Ink, Fiskars Threading water border punch, American Crafts precision pen in Black, Tsukineko Goose Bumps, Sketch by Template Tuesday on JessicaSprague.com, Magnets, Floss TECHNIQUE NOTES: I think stitching is a great addition to almost any page and its well worth the increased time it takes to do the layout. For this layout, I… ... Read More
Lets Go Fly a Kite-LETS GO FLY A KITE - April 30, 2010 - South Padre Island, Texas JOURNALING: Ted gets a kite flying lesson from Matt. SUPPLIES USED: Font: Lucida Calligraphy, Roam papers by K&Co, K&Company Handmade paper ribbon (buttons), File folder svg shape, Cricut Expression, Sure Cuts A Lot (SCAL) software TECHNIQUE TIP: Probably my most common comment on scrapbook page layout design is that I hate to see white edges on anything. You will see that about 95% of the edges of my photos, embellishments and papers have been either inked or painted to give them some dimension and to get… ... Read More
Snowy Commute-I finally finished my Bald Eagle album from last year in Haines, Alaska. This is the final page for the album. SNOWY COMMUTE- November 24, 2010 - Haines, Alaska JOURNALING: During a snow storm, this Bald Eagle takes flight. PHOTOS: Bald Eagle images by Shetzers Photography Workshops and Tours SUPPLIES USED: Based on June 1 page sketch by SketchSupport.com, Patterned Papers from DCWV's Lodge pack, Diamond Glaze, EZ Dots adhesives, Stampabilities ink (Brown & Black), Brown ric rac ribbon, Dress It Up Tiny Wilderness button, Michaels Stud Embellishments, Epiphany Crafts Bubble Caps, Carolees Creations Tiny Worn retro Alpha, Hero Arts… ... Read More
Alaska Pipeline-ALASKA PIPELINE - July 10, 2010 - Fairbanks, Alaska JOURNALING: We drove north of Fairbanks to visit an elevated section of pipeline. PHOTOGRAPHS: Matt & Angela Shetzer of Shetzers Photography Workshops and Tours SUPPLIES USED: Bazzill Black cardstock, DCWV World Traveler patterned paper, BasicGrey Basics white patterned paper, Cricut Expression with My World and Hey Dude cartridges, SCAL software with svg border cut, CK Deco Font, Recollections Boutique Fleur Gems, Black Diamond Stickles, Ranger Black Enamel, Doodlebug Designs Paper Frills in Black and Ladybug, Stampabilities Black ink TECHNIQUE NOTES: I'm not really an "industrial" look scrapper, but the hard cold… ... Read More
Distant Shores-I have finally started on scrapping the Alaska portion of our trip that started a year ago July. DISTANT SHORES - July 6, 2010 - Top of the World Highway, Alaska JOURNALING: We had no idea that our trip to Alaska would grow to be over 5 months long. We stayed so long that the snow forced us to take the ferry out instead of driving. July 6 to December 3, 2010 PHOTOGRAPHS: Matt & Angela Shetzer of Shetzers Photography Workshops and Tours SUPPLIES USED: PageMaps March, 2011 sketch; DCWV Natural cardstock; Array parchment cardstock; Gartner Airplane Voyage patterned paper;… ... Read More
Sea Turtles-SEA TURTLES - April 30, 2010 - South Padre Island, Texas JOURNALING: Ted visited us from April 29 to May 2. We visited Sea Turtles, Inc who care for the Kemp's Ridley Sea turtle. Pictured here is Gerry, a 30 year old Atlantic Green Sea turtle, who can weight up to 600 pounds. SUPPLIES USED: Font: Lucida Calligraphy, Roam paper by K&Co, Wild Raspberry borders by K&Co, Cricut Expression, Sure Cuts A Lot (SCAL), shell shape svg TECHNIQUE TIP: The font of Lucida Calligraphy is one of my favorites so I wanted to use it in larger size for the… ... Read More
Bird Watching-BIRD WATCHING - April 2010 - South Padre Island, Texas JOURNALING: We watched in awe as this blue heron fished and then proceeded to swallow his catch whole. South Padre Island Birding & Nature Center. SUPPLIES USED: Plantin Schoolbook Cricut cartridge, Roam patterned paper by K&Co, K&Co paper ribbon, Fiskars border punches, Cricut Expression for title TECHNIQUE TIP: I have a huge collection of journaling tags and of course when I see more, I have to buy them. And then of course because I love to "save" my supplies, I use them only sparingly. Ugh... Well on this layout, I… ... Read More
Hunting Birdies-HUNTING BIRDIES - April 2010 - South Padre Island, Texas JOURNALING: South Padre Island - Nature & Birding Center SUPPLIES USED: Stamped Cricut cartridge, Tahiti Beach Stack by DCWV TECHNIQUE TIP: I love the use of color blocking on a layout. I love the simple lines and how my photos seem to pop off the page. However, I don't always like how blocky and simple the layouts end up looking. On this layout, I decided to soften it up a bit and round my corners and layer some border strips with softer lines. the overall result is a great balance… ... Read More
Calm Days-No matter how many flowers I purchase, I never seem to have the right color so I decided to purchase quite a few of the cream colored paper flowers. With these, I can use either glimmer mists, stamps, or ink to recolor them to the perfect color. In this layout, I wanted to match the blue and green and my stash of flowers just didn't have the right shades of the color. A little glimmer mist created the green flowers and the blue ones were created with the help of stamps and ink. Perfect match for this double page layout!!… ... Read More
The Sunny Side of Life-I wanted a very simple but colorful layout to showcase our wonderful sunset photos. The papers chosen in this layout were chosen to compliment and help paint the mood of the photos. The sand textured background paper paired with a bright orange paper that is bordered by the black core'dinations strip mimics the silhouetted lines that you see in the main photo. THE SUNNY SIDE OF LIFE - April 2010 - South Padre Island, Texas JOURNALING: N/A SUPPLIES USED: Stamped Cricut Cartridge for all letters of title, Tahiti Stack by DCWV. Core'dinations Black Magic papers, Fiskars paper crimper ... Read More
Warm Wishes Notecard-I haven't been scrapping in a while, but I've been doing quite a few notecards as we travel around as they are easier and don't require as much "stuff" to be dug out of the cabinets while we are traveling from place to place. In honor of the recent time that we have spent on the beautiful beaches of Hatteras, North Carolina, I fell in love with this adorable little Beach Crab from the Sea Creatures Collection from FileKutz by LisaJane. I thought he was perfect to grace the front of a little note card. I wanted to mimic the… ... Read More
Moment-I wanted this layout to really emphasize the two completely opposite photos of my husband, from hard at play to hard at sleeping. I decided to use a sepia tone on the photos to make them similar so they seemed to fit together. It was distracting to use a very colorful beach photo with a very bland inside photo so this seemed to be the best alternative to making the photos fit well together. A cute flowered paper and some additional flowers all around made this a very quick and easy layout. JOURNALING: Matt had a great day of kiteboarding… ... Read More
Catch a Wave-One of the drawbacks of using a dark background paper is that it can make your photos appear darker and less apt to "pop" off your page. While my photos of my wonderful husband kiteboarding were very bright, I felt they needed a little more distinction from the dark black paper by DCWV. I grabbed my white Sharpie Paint Pen and edged the photos with it. I was able to achieve the distinct boundaries that I was looking for without having to add another layer of paper to my layout. Overall, it was cheaper and had the same effect. I… ... Read More
Our Life-Life in a 34 foot 5th wheel is not for everyone, but we have loved it over the past year. Although as this layout shows, we were not too sure as it seemed we spent more time fixing the RV than enjoying and relaxing. You can see my scrapping space at the dining room table. OUR LIFE - April 2010 - South Padre Island, Texas JOURNALING: We spent our first month relaxing & repairing the RV. We were sorry to leave the beach. SUPPLIES USED: Crimper, Tahiti Stack by DCWV, Foam stamps, Inkadinkado Coastal stamps, TECHNIQUE TIP: I love all… ... Read More
Grapefruit (South Texas Style)-This double page layout is actually one of my favorites and not just because it features my adorable hubby... Don't be afraid to get close to your subjects for a close up of the "action" as I did with with the grapefruit in the juicer. GRAPEFRUIT - April 2010 - South Padre Island, Texas JOURNALING: South Padre Island, Texas. We discovered the farmer's market on Saturday mornings. Our favorite purchase was a huge bag of grapefruit for only $5. We would squeeze them for the most delicious juice. SUPPLIES USED: Plantin Schoolbook Cricut cartridge, Tags Bags Boxes & More Cricut… ... Read More
Camp More Work Less-Camp More Work Less - Wow, this was definitely our theme as we left a very hectic month of packing all our belongings into storage, finishing up work, renting our homes and stocking an RV for a two+ year trip. Camp More Work Less - April 3, 2010 - South Padre Island, Texas JOURNALING: We arrived on South Padre Island on April 3. We would spend the next 4 weeks relaxing on the beach & kiteboarding. SUPPLIES USED: Travel Stack by DCWV, K&Company paper ribbon, Cricut Stamped Cartridge, K&Company dimensional stickers TECHNIQUE TIP: I love using tags on my layouts… ... Read More
Our Trip-Sorry that I have been MIA for a bit, but we've been traveling quite a bit over the past few weeks. We have made the drive from South Padre Island, Texas, all the way to Asheville, North Carolina so I haven't had any scrapping time at all! 🙁 The following is a layout from our time last year on South Padre Island in Texas. Our Trip - April 2010 - South Padre Island, Texas JOURNALING: April 3 arrive. April 29-30 Ted's visit. May 1 Depart SUPPLIES USED: Travel Stack by DCWV, K&Company embellishments, Tim Holtz Distress Ink TECHNIQUE TIP: I… ... Read More
Bluebird Patrol-Each year as spring comes to Houston, my father in law carefully watches and maintains the bluebird houses on the Champions golf course. Last year we took a wild golf cart ride to check out the many nests along the fairways. This page is from last year when there were only eggs at the time we were in Houston. Since we are in Houston now and planning another bluebird tour this afternoon, we hope to have babies that we can photograph. Bluebird Patrol - March 29, 2010 - Houston, TX JOURNALING: Our next stop was Houston to see Ted &… ... Read More
These are the Moments-This is probably my favorite photo of my youngest brother, his wife and my adorable niece. However, the conversion of the photos to Sepia was not an accident. While the photos of the faces of all three were wonderful in both photos, the backgrounds were awful. For example, in the one of my niece laughing, the background contained a purple cat house, not all that appealing. I recolored the photos and blurred the backgrounds to give more focus on the facial expressions that tell the story!!! Here the rounded corners add just a hint of softness that helps convey the… ... Read More
Cherished Family Times-Since we don't have any children, I don't get to use pink and little girl colors very often. So I always chase my adorable little nieces around with the camera and enjoy when I get to use pink on a layout. JOURNALING: Our first stop on the trip was to visit with my family in MO. We stayed in the RV at Laura & Eric's house and enjoyed the time spent with everyone. What cuties! 780 miles traveled. We celebrated Easter early so Katelyn & Emma got to show off their dresses. Emma's eyes constantly followed Katelyn around. What adorable… ... Read More
Free March Class – Memory Keeping - Welcome to our Free March Class dedicated to Memory Keeping! This is our class that is dedicated to creating 12x12 scrapbook layouts. In this month's memory keeping class, we will be working on the following topics: Kit of the Month: Close To My Heart's Life is a Hoot Organizational Tip: How to organize your coloring tools - Especially pens & watercolor pencils Creative 15 Tips: How to start determining what you have for coloring tools (Swatching watercolor pencils) Technique: Adding color with pens and watercolor pencils Color of the month - Wisteria Here are a few products that I… ... Read More
Free March Class – Memory Journal March 16, 2023 - Welcome to our Free March Class dedicated to Memory Journals! In this month's memory journal class, we will be working on the following topics: Kit of the Month: Close To My Heart's Life is a Hoot Organizational Tip: How to organize your coloring tools - Especially pens & watercolor pencils Creative 15 Tips: How to start determining what you have for coloring tools (Swatching watercolor pencils) Technique: Adding color with pens and watercolor pencils Color of the month - Wisteria Here are a few products that I would bring to class with you to be able to try the… ... Read More
March 2023 Free Classes - Welcome to our March free classes! While its still cold and snowy here in Colorado, I hope the weather is warming up for the rest of you. If not, March's kit, Life's A Hoot, will brighten anyone's day. Class Schedule: Thursday - March 16, 2023 - Memory Journal Class (smaller format scrapbooking class) Tuesday - March 21, 2023 - Memory Keeping Class (12x12 Scrapbooking class) Thursday - March 23, 2023 - Greeting Card Class Tuesday - March 28, 2023 - Craft With Heart kit video release Here are our topics for the month: Kit of the Month - Life's A… ... Read More
New Product Catalog – April to June 2023 - I am so excited to announce a new sneak peek at our new product catalog for April to June of 2023. Click Here to View our new product catalog for April to June, 2023 You can shop 24/7 at our online store HERE starting April 1, 2023 or contact me if you would like to preorder. Here is a quick introduction to our monthly kits in this catalog: Cosette is our April Kit: Colors: Desert Rose, Papaya, Peach, Mulberry, Mist, Seabrook, Pine, Honey Butter, Toffee, White Daisy, French Vanilla, Black Theme: Cosette has a very vintage theme with soft colors… ... Read More
5 things we love about stamping - I just had to share this wonderful article from Close To My Heart's Blog entitled "5 things we love about stamping" as it shows so many of the wonderful joy of using stamps on your memory keeping or gifting projects. Why do we love stamps? There are so many varieties of stamps, that you can find almost anything you might need. Stamps make the creative process easier and can inspire you on your project. Stamps can be used in so many ways that it is almost endless as to the number of combinations you can make with stamp sets. Stamps… ... Read More
January 2023 Classes - Welcome to January 2023's classes! I am so excited to kick off this new year with a new format for our 2 hour long classes and new content. Here are our January 2023 classes: Tuesday, Jan 17 - 6pm-8pm (mountain time) - Memory Keeping class - Our 12x12 Scrapbooking class Wednesday, Jan 18 - 6pm-8pm (mountain time) - Memory Journal class - Our memory keeping class dedicated to smaller formats or projects Tuesday, Jan 24 - Our Craft With Heart Scrapbooking videos will be available for January 2023 scrapbooking layouts Thursday, Jan 26 - 6pm-8pm (mountain time) - Greeting card class… ... Read More
January 2023 Class Calendar - Welcome to 2023 and our January class calendar!! I am excited to announce our classes for January 2023 and to introduce a couple of changes for 2023. First of all, by popular demand, I have added a greeting card class to our online events lineup. This class will be the 4th Thursday of every month. Also, the Craft With Heart subscription class will now be held via video instead of an online event for 2023. This will help us all get caught up and stay current with these kits. Our class formats are also changing, we will spend the first… ... Read More
Dec22Kit – Welcome to December 2022 – Calendar, Class Schedule & Featured Kits - Wow, can you believe it is already December and we are ready for #Dec22Kit, Freshly Baked, and all of our December classes. We are holding just 2 classes this month due to the holidays, Memory Keeping on December 6 and Memory Journal on December 15 to make sure that everyone has plenty of time to prepare for the holidays and most importantly spend time with their loved ones and make those cherished memories that we can scrapbook! Our #Dec22kit featured kit is Freshly Baked and it is a wonderful sea of modern Christmas colors for getting a head start on… ... Read More
Forest Critters – December 2022 Stamp of the Month - Stamp of the Month December 2022: Forest Critters Spend $50 and get this Stamp of the Month set for just $5. Create the perfect winter scene on your holiday planner, journal, scrapbooking pages or cards with this wonderful new stamp from Close To My Heart. Each month you can purchase a new D-size stamp set valued at $19.95 for just $5—or you can get it for FREE as a VIP Customer! Qualify for this special pricing by placing an order of $50 or more in Close To My Heart products. This month’s set is only available December 1–31. This set… ... Read More
Christmas Snowflake Mandalas – November Stamp of the Month - November 2022: Christmas Snowflake Mandalas Stamp Stamp of the Month Spend $50 and get this Stamp of the Month set for just $5 This Christmas Snowflake Mandalas stamp set is perfect for your holiday greeting cards, winter scrapbook pages or your art journals. The set of 9 stamps includes the following: Merry Christmas Enjoy the Magic of the Season Small mandala snowflake Medium mandala snowflake Large mandala snowflake Season's Greetings Wishing you a JOYFUL CHRISTMAS Holiday border HEARTFELT HOLIDAY WISHES Recommended Blocks: 1″ × 1″ (Y1000), 1″ × 3½″ (Y1002), 3″ × 3″ (Y1006), 4″ × 4″ (Y1017) Subscribe… ... Read More
Savings Start Now! - Pre-Black Friday sale! I am excited to let you know about three money saving opportunities to purchase Close to my Heart products. The Pre-Black Friday sale is a new one we’re introducing this year, and we can’t wait to offer so many savings this holiday season! This sale will feature a selection of Paper Packet + Sticker Sheets, standalone paper packets, and select scrapbooking workshops from our Core Products and October–December catalogs, all at 20%-off! This sale started at 3:00 pm (MST) on November 18 and will end at 11:59 pm (MST) on November 23. Items featured during this sale… ... Read More
Product Special – Seas & Greetings Collection through December 31, 2022 - Make Christmas crafts that match your memories with the Seas & Greetings collection, featuring designs for both warm and cold weather celebrations! The double-sided paper packet and accompanying sticker sheet feature both beach and winter designs, giving you creative control over the look you want for your projects. Get even more creative options by choosing stamp sets, Thin Cuts, and accessories that fit your holiday festivities. ... Read More
October 2022 Stamp of the Month: Blessings of the First Noel - October 2022 Stamp of the Month: Blessings of the First Noel Spend $50 and get this Stamp of the Month set for just $5. These stamps will make some amazingly funny holiday cards and will give your recipients quite the chuckle as they nod their heads in agreement to these slightly sweet, slightly snarky stamps. I can think of just the few perfect people on my holiday card list to send these to (and you know who are!). Each month you can purchase a new D-size stamp set valued at $19.95 for just $5—or you can get it for FREE… ... Read More
September 2022 Class Schedule - One of the things that I love about being a Close to My Heart Consultant is the focus of teaching my fellow crafters how to use the wonderful products that I sell, so I'm always so happy to put out each months class schedule. The September 2022 class schedule is below and besides our 3 regularly scheduled classes, we have 2 special classes scheduled for this month. Here are a few key dates to add to your calendar - Don't forget to register below to receive your Zoom link for class: September 6 - Memory Keeping Class September 8 -… ... Read More
August 2022 Class Schedule - One of the things that I love about being a Close to My Heart Consultant is the focus of teaching my fellow crafters how to use the wonderful products that I sell, so I'm always so happy to put out each months class schedule. The August 2022 class schedule is below and there are still 2 classes to add to it this month so stay tuned for those dates. Here are a few key dates to add to your calendar - Don't forget to register below to receive your Zoom link for class: August 1 - Our new annual catalog… ... Read More
New 2022-2023 Annual Catalog - It's here!!! The BRAND NEW Close To My Heart Core Catalog!! There are some wonderful new kits, stamps, thin cuts, and awesome ideas between these covers, and I am so excited to teach you all about these products in the coming year!! Be sure to scroll down to check out the 6 new colors that have been added to our line for this year. They are so soft and gorgeous. You can view this catalog on my website at https://ars.closetomyheart.com/ctmh/products/online-catalog.aspx... and when you place any-sized order, you can opt to add this catalog free to your order! Here is an… ... Read More
July Memory Journal Class Wrap Up & Challenge - We had a wonderful Memory Journal class on July 14, thank you to all who attended in person. If you were not able to attend, here is a quick summary of what we covered and the challenge for the month so that you can participate for the chance to win the Stamp of the Month. The Challenge ends August 10 so scroll down to read what you need to do to be entered to win!! I look forward to seeing everyone in our next online class on August 11 at 6PM mountain time. Here is what we covered: What is… ... Read More
Overstock Offer – Get the VIP Treatment - Shop a selection of special items previously only available to VIP Customers and Makers through this limited overstock offer! Our VIP Customers have enjoyed several exclusive product and workshop offerings as a perk of our VIP Customer program. For a limited time, we are making some of these items available to all customers to give you a taste of the VIP treatment, too! These items will be available through August 31, but only while supplies last, so make sure to take advantage of this opportunity while you can! SHOP NOW Enjoy wonderful patterned paper, stickers, stamps, card making collections, journal… ... Read More
2022 Retiring Colors - Its that time of year that we have both good news and bad news, we welcome new colors and we have retiring colors. With our new annual catalog fast approaching in August, its time to say goodbye to some of our older colors. While its always a little sad to see a few of our favorites retire, its so exciting to see the new colors and let me tell you, I've seen the new colors at our annual convention and they are AWESOME!! Stay tuned for an announcement of the new colors coming soon. Here are our 2022 retiring colors:… ... Read More
Our new catalog launches today - Our new catalog launches today and its in a brand new format. Instead of being every two months, our catalogs are going to quarterly. I am so excited for this new time period as we will have some extra time to play with our new crafty supplies. ... Read More
June Monthly Subscription Kit Class - Monthly Subscription Technique Class - June 21, 2022 - 6pm MST - Craft With Heart Monthly Subscription Kit Class PURCHASE this kit HERE When: Tuesday, June 21, 2022 - 6pm - 8pm mountain time Where: Zoom (Register below to get your link emailed to you) Who: Any of our current subscribers or anyone interested in learning more about this class Why: To create 2 double page layouts in just 2 hours. Document your memories and get caught up on some scrapbook pages What to bring: September 2021 Cut Above Kit Journaling pen Adhesive Layout #1 - Document Today - This… ... Read More
A Crafty Life Is a Happy Life - This week's happy thought is: A Crafty life Is a Happy Life! TECHNIQUE TIP: I am having so much fun creating these fun little saying that I've even started a 6x8 scrapbook for them so I can keep them all together. I have really never created this type of no photo artwork before and I can say it is really fun. Is there some memory that you want to capture or some feeling, but don't have a photo for it? Go ahead and scrap it! Find a cute saying, journal about it, or take a photo from the internet. Remember,… ... Read More
Memory Keeping Workshop – Candid Moments - Create & Crop with us - Candid Moments Memory Keeping Workshop November 14, 2021 - Saturday @ 8AM MST Each month we will be working with a brand new Close To My Heart Kit to create 3 double page layouts or 6 single page layouts or any combination thereof. You will receive the kit contents below and also a interactive class via Zoom to help you in creating the layouts and additional ideas on how to use the kit to fit with your photos. If you can't attend class, thats OK, we will miss you but you will also receive… ... Read More
Created To Shine! - We all have those days where we need just a little positive encouragement and I'm definitely no exception, so just remember that we were all "CREATED TO SHINE!". I love concentrating on one quote per week, whether it be a snarky crafty saying or just a little positive note to brighten my day (and hopefully yours). TITLE: Created to Shine! RECIPE: November's Stamp of the month - Created to Shine (S2111 Close To My Heart) Candid Moments Scrapbooking stamp (D2065 Close To My Heart) Sundance Ink & Cardstock (Close To My Heart) Sapphire Ink & Cardstock (Close To My Heart)… ... Read More
Fall Kit Crafty Sayings – Some Days… - So who else is with me? Surely I can't be the only one who constantly searches for things while they are in plain site.... I absolutely love this fall kit, Pumpkin Spice, and thought it was the perfect colors to showcase one of my favorite crafty sayings. I'm going to be creating a whole 6x8 mini album of my favorite sayings so please subscribe to our newsletter to see the others. RECIPE: Pumpkin Spice Paper Packet (Close To My Heart) - Limited time kit Crafting shapes thin cuts (Close to My Heart) - ON SALE NOW for $15.00 Alpha Doodles… ... Read More
2021-2022 Annual Catalog - The 2021-2022 annual catalog is now available for ordering. Take a stroll through the pages of the catalog for new paper packs, stamps, ink and cardstock colors. ... Read More
VIP Program – Savings on every purchase - What is a VIP Program and what benefits will I get with my VIP Status? Earn 15% shopping credit on all orders Get a FREE stamp of the month with a $50 monthly qualifying purchase. Get access to exclusive specials through the year (Scrapbooking, Cardmaking, etc) Get a $15 initial VIP credit balance when you sign up Free stamp set on each year of renewal LEARN MORE about VIP Status: Here are just a few of the current scrapbooking and cardmaking exclusive kits available to you: Happy Scrappin! ... Read More
New Paper Packs – New Annual Catalog! - I just had to share this excerpt from a post from Close To My Heart's Blog on the new paper packs available now. There are so many reasons to love fall, and one of our favorites is the release of our new annual Core Products Catalog! From day one of this beautiful catalog, hundreds of new Close To My Heart items and fresh ideas have been readily available and within your grasps! We are as committed as ever to our promise of being there to “show you how,” including providing the right tools and products, whatever your crafting goals may… ... Read More
Memory Journal Class Details – Journaling - One of the most repeated comments that I hear from scrapbookers and memory keepers is that journaling is the hardest part. What if there were a way to make it easier and less time consuming? What if there were some specific questions that you could ask yourself that would make the story complete? Join us in this month's Memory Journal class to learn how to document YOUR STORY. In this class we are going to focus on Memory Journal journaling and capturing our memories in our Memory Journal. We are going to be using some journaling techniques originally taught by… ... Read More
August Craft With Heart Class – Doodling - Monthly Subscription Technique Class - August 17, 2021 - 6pm MST - Craft With Heart Monthly Subscription Kit When: Tuesday, August 17, 2021 - 6pm - 8pm mountain time Where: Zoom (Register below to get your link emailed to you) Who: Any of our current subscribers or anyone interested in learning more about this class Why: To create 2 double page layouts in just 2 hours. Document your memories and get caught up on some scrapbook pages What to bring: August Cut Above Kit Journaling pen Adhesive Fine tipped pens for drawing (white & black) Die Cuts or Stickers in… ... Read More
April Memory Journal Video - Are you interested in documenting your everyday life or something special? Join us for our monthly Memory Journal class on the first Thursday of every month. TITLE: Memory Journal - April, 2021 RECIPE: Close to My Heart kits Cocoa Daisy - Memory Journal kits Stamps & Close to My Heart inks Washi Tape Chipboard Stickers Tags Punches TECHNIQUE TIP: Memory journals come in many different sizes and shapes and mine is a 6x8 Canvo journal (that I took from a spiral notebook into a discbound notebook) from Catherine Pooler Designs. I mix in a variety of paper packs, embellishments and… ... Read More
July Craft With Heart Subscription Class - Monthly Subscription Technique Class - July 20, 2021 - 7pm MST - Craft With Heart Monthly Subscription Kit Join Zoom Meeting Meeting ID: 966 4296 8296 Passcode: 123456 When: Tuesday, July 20, 2021 - 7pm - 9pm mountain time Where: Zoom (Register below to get your link emailed to you) Who: Any of our current subscribers or anyone interested in learning more about this class Why: To create 2 double page layouts in just 2 hours. Document your memories and get caught up on some scrapbook pages What to bring: May Cut Above Kit Journaling pen Adhesive Here are some… ... Read More
White Pines is back! - The White Pines kit collection features the same classic paper designs that made it popular the first time it was available, with a refreshed color palette and several coordinating products, including a new sticker sheet, a coordinating cardstock packet, and FOUR My Acrylix® stamp sets! You can save 20% on this great collection of products with the White Pines Product bundle, which contains each of these special items. You also get discounted prices with the two workshop kits, which include materials for creating scrapbook layouts or cards using items from this great collection, plus a few additional items. Includes: 1… ... Read More
Memory Journal Class – August – Building Kits - Topic: Memory Journal - July Class - Building Kits to speed up your memory keeping process. Time: August 5, 2021 06:00 PM Mountain Time (US and Canada) Join Zoom Meeting https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81639008685?pwd=cGVZUlRxKzI5ZWZmRDdTSDNsbGc0UT09 Meeting ID: 816 3900 8685 Passcode: 123456 In this class we are going to focus on using our base pages and how those work into our Memory Journal. We will put together our "Kit" to complete these pages so that you can use the other 14+ that you made in the June class. The idea is to make this kit be a simple go to container for you to… ... Read More
Lucky Me – Double Page Layout - I absolutely love the Close To My Heart monthly subscription kits. I have been able to use these kits to really make a huge dent into my huge backlog of scrapbook pages that I want to do. I used the March subscription kit to scrapbook this double page layout of my adorable daughter and nieces on a family trip to Tennessee back in March of 2018. TITLE: Lucky Me - March 18, 2018 - Belle Meade, Tennessee RECIPE: Close To My Heart - Craft With Heart Subscription Kit (March, 2021) Adhesive Journaling pen Date stamp Black ink TECHNIQUE TIP: This… ... Read More
June Stamp of The Month – Outdoor Borders - The June stamp of the month is Outdoor Borders. Each month you can purchase a new D-size stamp set valued at $18.95 for just $5—or you can get it for FREE as a VIP Customer! Qualify for this special pricing by placing an order of $50 or more in Close To My Heart products. INSERT PARAGRAPH DESCRIBING STAMP POSSIBLE USES This month’s set is only available June 1-30. This stamp set (S2106) includes 9 images including: Mountain border Happy camper, Back to Nature, Scenic View border Over the hill and through the woods hiking boot border Enjoy the ride bicycle… ... Read More
June Craft With Heart Class - Monthly Subscription Technique Class - June 15, 2021 - 7pm MST - Craft With Heart Monthly Subscription Kit When: Tuesday, June 15, 2021 - 7pm - 9pm mountain time Where: Zoom (Register below to get your link emailed to you) Who: Any of our current subscribers or anyone interested in learning more about this class Why: To create 2 double page layouts in just 2 hours. Document your memories and get caught up on some scrapbook pages What to bring: April Cut Above Kit Journaling pen Adhesive Here are some recommended supplies to gather or if you don’t have them,… ... Read More
May Stamp of The Month – Flowers for You - The May stamp of the month is Flowers for You. Each month you can purchase a new D-size stamp set valued at $18.95 for just $5—or you can get it for FREE as a VIP Customer! Qualify for this special pricing by placing an order of $50 or more in Close To My Heart products. Flowers for you makes beautiful greeting cards and the outlined images are perfect for coloring with your coloring tools such as markers, pens, and ink. These images are also perfect for stamping on card stock and then cutting out to make wonderful scrapbook embellishments. The… ... Read More
Memory Journal Class – May Agenda - I am so excited for this month's Memory Journal class. Now that we have introduced the concept of Memory Journaling, how do we apply those concepts to get our memories documented? This month's class will focus on how to create simple but beautiful layouts using supplies you most likely already have. We will discuss how to take your favorite supplies and convert their use from traditional 12x12 scrapbook layouts to your chosen memory journal format. We will go through some of my favorite recipes to make creating your pages easy so you can spend the time on documenting the memory.… ... Read More
Subscription Kit – April Class Layout 2 - Our April subscription kit class was so much fun with these adorable spring themed double page layouts. In our 2 hour class, we completed two layouts and the best news is that they can be created with just the kit contents, adhesive and a journaling pen. But of course, us scrapbookers, always like to add a little "extra" to make them into our style. Our second double page scrapbook layout was spring themed with butterflies and soft pastels. I have to admit that I struggled with this layout at first because I am really not a huge butterfly person. TITLE:… ... Read More
Memory Journaling Class Review Notes - Thank you to everyone for your interest in our memory journaling class. I wanted to post our key discussion points as a source of review or inspiration for everyone. What is memory journaling? If a journal and a scrapbook got married, their child would be a memory journal Collection of your memories / Photos or memorabilia Telling your story in a creative way that is tailored to your lifestyle No rules except HAVE FUN Creative 15 - Quick 15 minute creative breaks Creative outlet to destress, relax, have FUN What types of stories? Daily / Everyday Life (in place of… ... Read More
Subscription Kit – April Class Layout - Our April subscription kit class was so much fun with these adorable spring themed double page layouts. In our 2 hour class, we completed two layouts and the best news is that they can be created with just the kit contents, adhesive and a journaling pen. But of course, us scrapbookers, always like to add a little "extra" to make them into our style. Our first double page scrapbook layout contained 5 photos and had great spring colors. Look for the second layout in a separate post and video. I thought this kit was perfect for some Easter photos of… ... Read More
March Stamp of The Month – Winged Masterpiece - The March stamp of the month is Winged Masterpiece. Each month you can purchase a new D-size stamp set valued at $18.95 for just $5—or you can get it for FREE as a VIP Customer! Qualify for this special pricing by placing an order of $50 or more in Close To My Heart products. This month’s set is only available March 1–31. This stamp set (S2103) includes 15 images including: Floral butterfly Floral dragonfly Husband Wife Forever wouldn't have been long enough luck to call you friend sending you get well wishes lucky to be your wishing you the happiest… ... Read More
Monthly Craft With Heart Class – March 16 - Monthly Subscription Technique Class - March 16, 2021 - 7pm MST - January Craft With Heart Kit When: Tuesday, March 16, 2021 - 7pm - 9pm mountain time Where: Zoom (Register below to get your link emailed to you) Who: Any of our current subscribers or anyone interested in learning more about this class Why: To create 2 double page layouts in just 2 hours. Document your memories and get caught up on some scrapbook pages What to bring: January Cut Above Kit Journaling pen Adhesive Stencil Pack #3 Canary Ink Pad Pewter Ink Pad Sponge Daubers Layout #1 -… ... Read More
New Collection – Daisy Meadows - Introducing the Daisy Meadows Collection Daisy Meadows is a brand new collection available only from March 1 to April 30, 2021. This fun pastel collection has lots of papers, stickers and stamps geared towards spring and the Easter holiday. Coordinating cardstock and ink colors are: Peach, Smoothie, Cinnamon, Peacock, Mint, Fern, Sundance, Canary, Almond, Mink & White Daisy. Coordinating Options for this collection: Daisy Meadows Dots (X7266E) Daisy Meadows Picture My Life Cards (X7266D) Daisy Meadows Scrapbooking Stamp + Thin Cuts (Z3932) Daisy Meadows Cardmaking Stamp + Thin Cuts (Z3933) Here is a quick video flip through of the items… ... Read More
Memory Journal – February Flip Through - I am getting so excited for this week's Memory Journal 101 class so I wanted to share a flip through of my February journal. My journal is currently housed in a 6x8 album with NO page protectors. I wanted this to be more like an actual journal where I can feel and touch each page. It also allows me to create interactive pages as well (see examples in video below). Here is a little bit of my process for my memory journal and we will go into much more detail in our class: I create a kit that I will… ... Read More
Washi Tape Storage, Organization & Catalog - Let’s talk washi tape and how we store it, organize it in our storage containers and inventory or catalog it to know what we have to be able to USE it. I literally have thousands of rolls of washi tape in almost every size, color, and print imaginable. I needed a massive but accessible storage space, a great organization system, and some way to know what I have and match up colors to be able to use my washi tape. Washi Tape Storage Let’s start with how I store my washi tape. I use Three-Drawer Washi Organizer by Michaels. I… ... Read More
Double Page Layouts – February Class - We had a great time creating our two double page layouts this month. Both layouts were from the December Craft With Heart Kit. Our first double page layout contained 4 photos and was great to showcase the fun we have had cross country skiing during last December. For our technique on this page, we practiced our inking techniques and tried several different ways of applying ink to our photo mats. We also looked at the matting of our photos to determine the best way to really showcase them in our layout. We used a few shimmer pens to add a… ... Read More
Memory Journaling 101 – First class of the series - I am so excited to announce that our first in our series of Memory Journal classes, Memory Journaling 101, is set on the calendar. Please join us on Thursday, March 4 at 6pm Mountain / 7pm Cental via zoom for the introductory class. Future classes will be held on the first Thursday of each month at 6PM to 8PM (mountain) where we will work through the setup of your journal each month with our kits, learn some new techniques and have some great fun. These 6x8 Memory Journals are such a great alternative to memory planners, project life and plain… ... Read More
Cardstock Organization Tips – Rainbow theme - Lets talk about that very large and very hard to store item in our craft rooms, cardstock organization and loose sheet patterned paper organization. We are not going to address all of our lovely paper pads or themed paper kits in this article but will address those in a our next organizational tip. I know I have enough solid color heavy weight cardstock and loose patterned paper to open at least 2 scrapbook stores and I love it because I can always find the exact shade that I want, but that hasn't always been the case. Its taken several years… ... Read More
February Featured Kit – Sweet Safari - The Sweet Safari kit only available from January 1 through February 28, 2021. Its perfect for scrapbooking baby pictures, outdoor adventures or masculine layouts. Enjoy this great overview of all the products in this line: Puffy Stickers Patterned paper Cardstock Picture my life cards Scrapbooking Workshop Cardmaking workshop Scrapbooking Stamp & Thin Cuts Set Cardmaking Stamp & Thin Cuts Featured colors: Candy Apple Bluebird Lagoon Avocado Sundance Espresso Black White Daisy Get a closer look at the adorable Sweet Safari paper collection from Close To My Heart, featuring jungle animals and vibrant colors. I love these layouts made from this… ... Read More
Creative 15 Introduction – Start Here - Welcome to my new Monday series on how to pack a little bit of crafting into each and every day, the Creative 15 series. If you are like me and have so many irons in the fire that you can’t keep up with, how do you make time to create each day? How do I come up with the energy to be creative? This series will help you get crafting 15 minutes at a time. You will be amazed at how fast those 15 minute increments can add up to beautiful creative layouts. INTRODUCTION TO CREATIVE 15 Research has shown… ... Read More
Doodled Borders – February Stamp of the Month - Doodled Borders may be my favorite stamp of the month yet because it can be used on so many different creative projects. I have already used this stamp in so many layouts. Its so great for adding just a touch of color or a small embellishment to your layouts and cards. Be sure to get it quickly as it is only available until February 28, 2021. Here are a few examples to give you some ideas on the versatility of this stamp set: Don't forget that this stamp set with disappear on March 1 so order now. ... Read More
Core Product Catalog – September 2020 to August 2021 - Close to My Heart's core product catalog for this period is amazing, full of scrapbooking kits, card making kits, stamps, thin cuts and lots of coloring supplies. Here is a complete list of all our coordinating colors for this year: Here are some of my favorite products from this catalog: You can view the entire catalog HERE and even download a PDF copy for yourself. ... Read More
January / February 2021 Catalog - I love that Close To My Heart offers new products every two months in additional to our annual catalog. This catalog for January and February does not disappoint with great kits and stamps for home life and a fantastic Valentines Day kit for cards or scrapbooking. Here are some of my favorite new products from this catalog (just click on the image to purchase): If you would like to see the full catalog, you can VIEW it or download it here. ... Read More
What is Memory Journaling? Watch & Find out… - I am so excited to begin offering a class on memory journaling as an alternative to memory planners, bullet journals and project life. You may ask, What is a "memory journal"? A memory journal is a collection of your memories. Those memories can be of everyday life (which is what I am doing now), travel adventure, special occasions, tribute journals to those we have lost, or a daily journal for your thoughts. There is no right or wrong way to do a memory journal, but I'm here to give you some ideas, kits, and guidance as you begin (or continue)… ... Read More
Memory journaling class SNEAK PEAK - I wanted to give everyone just a quick introduction to my newest class that will be starting later this month, Memory Journaling. If you are like me and have tried memory planning, project life, or bullet journaling and just can’t find the right fit, this may be the perfect class for you. In addition to introducing you to this quick and easy method of preserving your memories, we will discuss how to make journaling easier using a several step method. Here is a quick sneak peak of the finished product of two of my January pages and I’ll have a… ... Read More
Organizing Glitter, Stickles, Liquid Pearls, Nuvo Drops - Here are some tips and tricks for organizing glitter and all these other wonderful color tools: • Glitter glue (Stickles, Moxy, etc) • Loose glitter (fine, chunky, etc) • Liquid Pearls • Nuvo Drops • Other liquid coloring tools (smooch, etc) Who doesn’t have an amazing stash of beautiful glittery liquids? But the real question is, do you know exactly what you have and can you find it quickly to use on your layouts? I struggled for years with keeping these little bottles of glitter, stickles and liquid pearls stored correctly upside down but also within reach so I… ... Read More
February Monthly Subscription Class - February 16, 2021 - 7pm MST - December Craft With Heart Kit When: Tuesday, February 16, 2021 - 7pm - 9pm mountain time Where: Zoom (Register to get your link) Who: Any of our current subscribers or anyone interested in learning more about this class. Why: To create 2 double page layouts in just 2 hours. Document your memories and get caught up on some scrapbook pages What to bring: December Cut Above Kit Journaling pen Adhesive Extra matching cardstock Straight Edge or ruler for our technique lesson Shimmer Brushes Scissors, trimmer and single hole punch Love & Joy Photos… ... Read More
Monthly Craft with Heart subscription classes - Click the tabs below to see examples of our prior classes: ... Read More
January Stamp Special – Every Thanks - January's stamp of the month is perfect for card makers or anyone who loves to document gratitude in their journal. Every Thanks (S2101) is packed with 25 stamps that express gratitude in a multitude of ways. Pair these great sayings in hand written fonts, layered stamps and shadowed text with icons and additional sayings to convey your gratitude or thanks to others. What is even better than this stamp set, getting it for FREE if you are a VIP member with a purchase in the January. If you are not a VIP, you can still get this great stamp set… ... Read More
Scrapbook Inventory Organization – Overview - The key to Scrapbook Inventory organization and using your Scrapbook Inventory (aka stash) is being able to find the right supply at the right time without spending too much time or organizing it to begin with. In short, you need to organize in the same way that you craft! I am often asked how I do my Scrapbook Inventory Organization with my very large craft inventory and that is a difficult question to answer because everyone scrapbooks a little differently. I, for one, am a very color oriented and theme oriented scrapbooker, therefore, I organize everything by those methods. For… ... Read More
January Subscription Kit Class - Thank you to everyone who attended last night's class and made it so FUN. We had a great time creating the November Craft With Heart layouts and learning about some new inking techniques as well as some new products, Shimmer Brushes. Here is a video to the class just in case you were not able to attend: Or you can watch on my YouTube channel For more information on how to join these classes, CLICK HERE. Here are the two double page layouts that we created in class: ... Read More
VIP Scrapbook Membership Special - With VIP membership, you get access to a multitude of benefits every month. This special offer gives you discounts to be used as credits against future purchases, free stamps, exclusive specials and a special bonus now of $15 when you sign up. VIP Membership Benefits include: Earn 15% shopping credit of retail amount paid Get a free Stamp of the Month with qualifying purchase Access to exclusive specials throughout the year Get $15 VIP Credit when you sign up For more information, take few moments to watch this video: Here is a sneak peak at the January Exclusive Special: Here… ... Read More
Each Day has a Story - This is my first layout from the CTMH Cut Above Kit for September. My photos were very similar to the design that CTMH provided, however I decided to only use the Monday through Friday circles and added some texture to them by cutting them at the 1/3 mark with pinking scissors (who doesn't have those) and reassembling with a small space in them. Our technique on this layout was to create some depth and additional embellishments using glitter glue (heart on the right side) and Nuvo Drops & Liquid Pearls to create my own enamel dots. I actually smeared one… ... Read More
Craft With Heart – Scrapbooking Subscription - Check out the great video showcasing the next 4 months of our Craft With Heart Scrapbooking subscription. Subscribe now to not only enjoy these great kits, but also join a monthly online meeting where we create these pages, learn how to vary the layouts and learn new techniques each month. An annual subscription to make 2 double page layouts each month can be as low as $14.36 per month for all papers, mats, titles, and embellishments. All you need is adhesive and a journaling pen from your stash. ... Read More
Legendary Father’s Day Stamp Set Bundle 20% Off - This fantastic Father's Day stamp set is on sale now through June 30. Regularly priced at $21.90, you can get it now for only $16.95. This bundle includes two stamp sets perfect for scrapbooking your father's day adventures or making that perfect card for someone special in your life. As you commemorate Dad this Father’s Day, the Legendary Father’s Day special provides a wealth of creative potential. Whether you’re a seasoned scrapbooker, a dedicated cardmaker, or just starting to get to know your creative side, the Legendary Father’s Day special is the perfect opportunity to show some love to one… ... Read More
Craft With Heart Scrapbooking Subscription - Be ready to preserve memories as you make them with a Craft with Heart™ Scrapbooking subscription. As a subscriber, you’ll receive regular deliveries of Cut Above® layout kits, each kit featuring two beautifully designed two-page layouts. Your layouts come together in minutes thanks to pre-printed base pages, with complementary die-cuts and stickers to help you preserve your memories in style. Here are a few examples of the May layouts: Click HERE to subscribe to the monthly kit and free zoom meetings to scrapbook the pages together. ... Read More
June Stamp of the month - This is such an awesome stamp and offers so many possibilities for scrapbooking or card making. May’s special monthly stamp is only $5 with the purchase of $50 or you can purchase it for $18.95. ... Read More
Photography Tip – Rule of Thirds - Composition – Rule of 3rds When looking to composing an image, consider placing your primary subject in one of the crossing corners created by dividing your photo into 3 equal parts both horizontally and vertically. In this image of Crystal Mill in the Colorado backcountry, you will notice the mill is on the top right 3rd, and the water runs across the bottom 3rd line and the water fall is near the left 3rd. As you will notice, this is a stronger composition than just placing the mill in the center of the frame. Experiment with subjects and 3rds and… ... Read More
Emerald Pools - EMERALD POOLS - May 5, 2010 - Zion National Park, Utah JOURNALING: Our first full day at Zion Nat'l Park. We got off the shuttle at the Zion Lodge to hike up to Emerald Pools. After the hike we picniced and found ice cream at the lodge. SUPPLIES USED: Cocoa Mint papers & stickers by Cloud 9 ... Read More
Bodie Light - I can't believe it is September and I've done my first layout of our travels in 2011 - Talk about way, way behind!!! When I saw this file created by LisaJane, I knew I had to skip ahead and scrap this photo of the Bodie Lighthouse. BODIE LIGHT - May 26, 2011 - Outer Banks, North Carolina JOURNALING: General Information - Bodie Lighthouse observation trail PHOTOS: Images by Shetzers Photography Workshops and Tours SUPPLIES USED: Lighthouse cut file by LisaJane at FileKutz, BasicGrey Granola and Basics White patterned paper, Stickles Waterfall glitter, Stampabilities Black ink, Tim Holtz Distress ink in… ... Read More
Wonder - WONDER - May 4, 2010 - Zion National Park, Utah JOURNALING: To get to our campsite in Springdale, we had to drive through the tunnel. It was a tight fit SUPPLIES USED: National Park paper, Best Occasions paper, K&Co Boy Scouts title TECHNIQUE TIP: I don't know about you, but I love to buy the most unique patterned paper but then I struggle with how to use it because "I don't want to cover it up". Anyone else ever had that problem? Well, this paper had a great map of Zion National Park that I wanted to use as my… ... Read More
Utah Bound - UTAH BOUND - May 2010 - Utah JOURNALING: May totals: 2,912 miles in 45+ hours of driving SUPPLIES USED: K&Co Road Trip papers and embellishments TECHNIQUE TIP: There are times when a scrapbook page does not need any photos at all to tell a story, but a map and good journaling will do the trick. On this layout, I wanted to show an overview of our trip from the very southern tip of Texas all the way into Utah and its beautiful National Parks. The K & Company Road Trip paper and embellishments were a perfect match for this travel… ... Read More
Tourist - TOURIST - May, 3, 2010 - Flagstaff, Arizona JOURNALING: We overnighted in Flagstaff, AZ at a Camping World with hopes of getting our leaky slide fixed before we headed North. They found the problem but could not fix it. SUPPLIES USED: Postcard, Papers & Embellishments by Best Occasions TECHNIQUE TIP: Sometimes I just don't have the right picture for a layout or I know that I just want a layout that is geared more towards journaling. In those cases, I visit a couple gift shops and look for a postcard that gives a great overview of the place or thing… ... Read More
We’re Off - WE'RE OFF - May 2, 2010 - South Padre Island, Texas - A 12x12, single page, 2 photo travel based scrapbook layout. SUPPLIES USED: Roam papers by K&Co, Cricut Expression, SCAL basic shapes, Flamingo svg file, Vellum letters for title, Journaling cards TECHNIQUES TIPS: For those of you who don't know me well, you may not know that besides my hubby and myself, we have a pink flamingo, Pinkie, that travels with us across North America. I can't say enough how much I love my Cricut and use it at least once on almost 95% of my layouts. I wanted… ... Read More
Feeling Frosty - FEELING FROSTY - July 14, 2010 - Fairbanks, Alaska JOURNALING: We visited the Ice Museum with its fantastic ice sculptures and watched a demonstration on how the ice is carved from huge chunks with power tools. I could not convince Matt to take a nap in the ice house. PHOTOGRAPHS: Angela Shetzer of Shetzers Photography Workshops and Tours SUPPLIES USED: BasicGrey Granola patterned paper, Kraft cardstock, Tim Holtz Distress Ink in Faded Jeans, Stampabilities Black Ink, Doodlebug Designs Paper Frills in Lily White, EK Success Corner Rounder, Gel Writer, Sheer Shimmer Spritz in Frost, Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist in Denim… ... Read More
Isla Gaia - ISLA GAIA - May 1, 2010 - South Padre Island, Texas JOURNALING: Isla Gaia, a female nesting Kemp's Ridley sea turtle was released with a satellite tracker attachment to monitor her movements. We watched her release from Isla Blanca beach. SUPPLIES USED: Roam papers by K&Co, Happy Trails borders by K&Company, corner rounder by EK Success, TECHNIQUE TIP: OK, so I broke my own rule about having white edges exposed on my photographs. Here I actually decided to make the white edges stand out on my photos by taking a piece of sandpaper from my wonderful hubby's toolbox and sanding… ... Read More
Large Animal Research Station - LARGE ANIMAL RESEARCH STATION (LARS) - July 10, 2010 - Fairbanks, Alaska JOURNALING: We walked around the L.A.R.S. to view all the animals PHOTOGRAPHS: Angela Shetzer of Shetzers Photography Workshops and Tours SUPPLIES USED: Bazzill Black cardstock, DCWV World Traveler patterned paper, Bazzill stitch templates, Stampabilities Black Ink, Fiskars Threading water border punch, American Crafts precision pen in Black, Tsukineko Goose Bumps, Sketch by Template Tuesday on JessicaSprague.com, Magnets, Floss TECHNIQUE NOTES: I think stitching is a great addition to almost any page and its well worth the increased time it takes to do the layout. For this layout, I… ... Read More
Lets Go Fly a Kite - LETS GO FLY A KITE - April 30, 2010 - South Padre Island, Texas JOURNALING: Ted gets a kite flying lesson from Matt. SUPPLIES USED: Font: Lucida Calligraphy, Roam papers by K&Co, K&Company Handmade paper ribbon (buttons), File folder svg shape, Cricut Expression, Sure Cuts A Lot (SCAL) software TECHNIQUE TIP: Probably my most common comment on scrapbook page layout design is that I hate to see white edges on anything. You will see that about 95% of the edges of my photos, embellishments and papers have been either inked or painted to give them some dimension and to get… ... Read More
Snowy Commute - I finally finished my Bald Eagle album from last year in Haines, Alaska. This is the final page for the album. SNOWY COMMUTE- November 24, 2010 - Haines, Alaska JOURNALING: During a snow storm, this Bald Eagle takes flight. PHOTOS: Bald Eagle images by Shetzers Photography Workshops and Tours SUPPLIES USED: Based on June 1 page sketch by SketchSupport.com, Patterned Papers from DCWV's Lodge pack, Diamond Glaze, EZ Dots adhesives, Stampabilities ink (Brown & Black), Brown ric rac ribbon, Dress It Up Tiny Wilderness button, Michaels Stud Embellishments, Epiphany Crafts Bubble Caps, Carolees Creations Tiny Worn retro Alpha, Hero Arts… ... Read More
Alaska Pipeline - ALASKA PIPELINE - July 10, 2010 - Fairbanks, Alaska JOURNALING: We drove north of Fairbanks to visit an elevated section of pipeline. PHOTOGRAPHS: Matt & Angela Shetzer of Shetzers Photography Workshops and Tours SUPPLIES USED: Bazzill Black cardstock, DCWV World Traveler patterned paper, BasicGrey Basics white patterned paper, Cricut Expression with My World and Hey Dude cartridges, SCAL software with svg border cut, CK Deco Font, Recollections Boutique Fleur Gems, Black Diamond Stickles, Ranger Black Enamel, Doodlebug Designs Paper Frills in Black and Ladybug, Stampabilities Black ink TECHNIQUE NOTES: I'm not really an "industrial" look scrapper, but the hard cold… ... Read More
Distant Shores - I have finally started on scrapping the Alaska portion of our trip that started a year ago July. DISTANT SHORES - July 6, 2010 - Top of the World Highway, Alaska JOURNALING: We had no idea that our trip to Alaska would grow to be over 5 months long. We stayed so long that the snow forced us to take the ferry out instead of driving. July 6 to December 3, 2010 PHOTOGRAPHS: Matt & Angela Shetzer of Shetzers Photography Workshops and Tours SUPPLIES USED: PageMaps March, 2011 sketch; DCWV Natural cardstock; Array parchment cardstock; Gartner Airplane Voyage patterned paper;… ... Read More
Sea Turtles - SEA TURTLES - April 30, 2010 - South Padre Island, Texas JOURNALING: Ted visited us from April 29 to May 2. We visited Sea Turtles, Inc who care for the Kemp's Ridley Sea turtle. Pictured here is Gerry, a 30 year old Atlantic Green Sea turtle, who can weight up to 600 pounds. SUPPLIES USED: Font: Lucida Calligraphy, Roam paper by K&Co, Wild Raspberry borders by K&Co, Cricut Expression, Sure Cuts A Lot (SCAL), shell shape svg TECHNIQUE TIP: The font of Lucida Calligraphy is one of my favorites so I wanted to use it in larger size for the… ... Read More
Bird Watching - BIRD WATCHING - April 2010 - South Padre Island, Texas JOURNALING: We watched in awe as this blue heron fished and then proceeded to swallow his catch whole. South Padre Island Birding & Nature Center. SUPPLIES USED: Plantin Schoolbook Cricut cartridge, Roam patterned paper by K&Co, K&Co paper ribbon, Fiskars border punches, Cricut Expression for title TECHNIQUE TIP: I have a huge collection of journaling tags and of course when I see more, I have to buy them. And then of course because I love to "save" my supplies, I use them only sparingly. Ugh... Well on this layout, I… ... Read More
Hunting Birdies - HUNTING BIRDIES - April 2010 - South Padre Island, Texas JOURNALING: South Padre Island - Nature & Birding Center SUPPLIES USED: Stamped Cricut cartridge, Tahiti Beach Stack by DCWV TECHNIQUE TIP: I love the use of color blocking on a layout. I love the simple lines and how my photos seem to pop off the page. However, I don't always like how blocky and simple the layouts end up looking. On this layout, I decided to soften it up a bit and round my corners and layer some border strips with softer lines. the overall result is a great balance… ... Read More
Calm Days - No matter how many flowers I purchase, I never seem to have the right color so I decided to purchase quite a few of the cream colored paper flowers. With these, I can use either glimmer mists, stamps, or ink to recolor them to the perfect color. In this layout, I wanted to match the blue and green and my stash of flowers just didn't have the right shades of the color. A little glimmer mist created the green flowers and the blue ones were created with the help of stamps and ink. Perfect match for this double page layout!!… ... Read More
The Sunny Side of Life - I wanted a very simple but colorful layout to showcase our wonderful sunset photos. The papers chosen in this layout were chosen to compliment and help paint the mood of the photos. The sand textured background paper paired with a bright orange paper that is bordered by the black core'dinations strip mimics the silhouetted lines that you see in the main photo. THE SUNNY SIDE OF LIFE - April 2010 - South Padre Island, Texas JOURNALING: N/A SUPPLIES USED: Stamped Cricut Cartridge for all letters of title, Tahiti Stack by DCWV. Core'dinations Black Magic papers, Fiskars paper crimper ... Read More
Warm Wishes Notecard - I haven't been scrapping in a while, but I've been doing quite a few notecards as we travel around as they are easier and don't require as much "stuff" to be dug out of the cabinets while we are traveling from place to place. In honor of the recent time that we have spent on the beautiful beaches of Hatteras, North Carolina, I fell in love with this adorable little Beach Crab from the Sea Creatures Collection from FileKutz by LisaJane. I thought he was perfect to grace the front of a little note card. I wanted to mimic the… ... Read More
Moment - I wanted this layout to really emphasize the two completely opposite photos of my husband, from hard at play to hard at sleeping. I decided to use a sepia tone on the photos to make them similar so they seemed to fit together. It was distracting to use a very colorful beach photo with a very bland inside photo so this seemed to be the best alternative to making the photos fit well together. A cute flowered paper and some additional flowers all around made this a very quick and easy layout. JOURNALING: Matt had a great day of kiteboarding… ... Read More
Catch a Wave - One of the drawbacks of using a dark background paper is that it can make your photos appear darker and less apt to "pop" off your page. While my photos of my wonderful husband kiteboarding were very bright, I felt they needed a little more distinction from the dark black paper by DCWV. I grabbed my white Sharpie Paint Pen and edged the photos with it. I was able to achieve the distinct boundaries that I was looking for without having to add another layer of paper to my layout. Overall, it was cheaper and had the same effect. I… ... Read More
Our Life - Life in a 34 foot 5th wheel is not for everyone, but we have loved it over the past year. Although as this layout shows, we were not too sure as it seemed we spent more time fixing the RV than enjoying and relaxing. You can see my scrapping space at the dining room table. OUR LIFE - April 2010 - South Padre Island, Texas JOURNALING: We spent our first month relaxing & repairing the RV. We were sorry to leave the beach. SUPPLIES USED: Crimper, Tahiti Stack by DCWV, Foam stamps, Inkadinkado Coastal stamps, TECHNIQUE TIP: I love all… ... Read More
Grapefruit (South Texas Style) - This double page layout is actually one of my favorites and not just because it features my adorable hubby... Don't be afraid to get close to your subjects for a close up of the "action" as I did with with the grapefruit in the juicer. GRAPEFRUIT - April 2010 - South Padre Island, Texas JOURNALING: South Padre Island, Texas. We discovered the farmer's market on Saturday mornings. Our favorite purchase was a huge bag of grapefruit for only $5. We would squeeze them for the most delicious juice. SUPPLIES USED: Plantin Schoolbook Cricut cartridge, Tags Bags Boxes & More Cricut… ... Read More
Camp More Work Less - Camp More Work Less - Wow, this was definitely our theme as we left a very hectic month of packing all our belongings into storage, finishing up work, renting our homes and stocking an RV for a two+ year trip. Camp More Work Less - April 3, 2010 - South Padre Island, Texas JOURNALING: We arrived on South Padre Island on April 3. We would spend the next 4 weeks relaxing on the beach & kiteboarding. SUPPLIES USED: Travel Stack by DCWV, K&Company paper ribbon, Cricut Stamped Cartridge, K&Company dimensional stickers TECHNIQUE TIP: I love using tags on my layouts… ... Read More
Our Trip - Sorry that I have been MIA for a bit, but we've been traveling quite a bit over the past few weeks. We have made the drive from South Padre Island, Texas, all the way to Asheville, North Carolina so I haven't had any scrapping time at all! 🙁 The following is a layout from our time last year on South Padre Island in Texas. Our Trip - April 2010 - South Padre Island, Texas JOURNALING: April 3 arrive. April 29-30 Ted's visit. May 1 Depart SUPPLIES USED: Travel Stack by DCWV, K&Company embellishments, Tim Holtz Distress Ink TECHNIQUE TIP: I… ... Read More
Bluebird Patrol - Each year as spring comes to Houston, my father in law carefully watches and maintains the bluebird houses on the Champions golf course. Last year we took a wild golf cart ride to check out the many nests along the fairways. This page is from last year when there were only eggs at the time we were in Houston. Since we are in Houston now and planning another bluebird tour this afternoon, we hope to have babies that we can photograph. Bluebird Patrol - March 29, 2010 - Houston, TX JOURNALING: Our next stop was Houston to see Ted &… ... Read More
These are the Moments - This is probably my favorite photo of my youngest brother, his wife and my adorable niece. However, the conversion of the photos to Sepia was not an accident. While the photos of the faces of all three were wonderful in both photos, the backgrounds were awful. For example, in the one of my niece laughing, the background contained a purple cat house, not all that appealing. I recolored the photos and blurred the backgrounds to give more focus on the facial expressions that tell the story!!! Here the rounded corners add just a hint of softness that helps convey the… ... Read More
Cherished Family Times - Since we don't have any children, I don't get to use pink and little girl colors very often. So I always chase my adorable little nieces around with the camera and enjoy when I get to use pink on a layout. JOURNALING: Our first stop on the trip was to visit with my family in MO. We stayed in the RV at Laura & Eric's house and enjoyed the time spent with everyone. What cuties! 780 miles traveled. We celebrated Easter early so Katelyn & Emma got to show off their dresses. Emma's eyes constantly followed Katelyn around. What adorable… ... Read More