CTMH April Stamp of the Month Blog Hop: My Sunshine

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Welcome to the April Stamp of the Month "My Sunshine" Blog Hop! Almost about 60 Close to My Heart talented Consultants are participating in the hop this month. You can start here or from any of the other participating blogs and just follow the links at the top and bottom of the posts. Eventually you will make it all the way around and view over 60 ideas using this fabulous stamp set! If you came here from Judy Burger's blog then you are on the right track. If you hit a few bumps in the road then you can always view the entire list on Kathleen's blog here.

I had fun creating these two cards using the My Sunshine stamp set.

For Always Paper packet; Stamp Pads: Honey, Lagoon, Black & Pacifica; Cardstock: White Daisy, Black, Lagoon; Cricut Artiste Cartridge, & Black Sparkles

Buzz & Bumble Paper Packet; Stamp Pads: Creme Brulee, Sunset, Cocoa; Tan Sparkles; Cricut Artiste Cartridge

Here is what the stamp set looks like. I love how several images can be precut with the Cricut Artiste Cartridge so I don't have to cut them out myself! Remember, this set can be yours for just $5 with any order of $50 or just $17.95.

 Now feel free the leave a comment and then hop on over to Wendy's Coffman's blog to see what she's done with this fabulous set! Pin It

While Supplies Last!

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Wow! There are some fabulous buys on the While Supplies Last page on my website! I can't believe the large banner is on sale for just $2.75! These are terrific for birthdays, seasons, holidays, etc! Check out my Halloween Banner and my Welcome Banner that I posted a while back. Here is what the banner looks like:

Don't miss out on the paper packets, Compliments, and other terrific embellishments too! Pin It

March Workshop Card Supplies Available

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Hi everyone! I have two sets of prestamped papers and supplies from my workshop last Saturday. The instructions and list of ingredients are included as well. All you have to do is stick the pieces together! If you would like them then please email me or leave a comment below. I just ask that you place an order of $25 or more on my website or with me directly before 11pm PST on March 31st. These were a huge hit with my customers and I know you will love them too!

Watercolor and Cricut Card

Reinker Notecard

New Alcohol Marker/Shading Card

Honeycomb Seals Card

March Stamp of the Month/Stamp Rolling Card

 (Idea by Helen Onulak)

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April Special - 4 Free Stamp Sets to New Consultants!

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I am so excited to share this fantastic Consultant Special with all of you! If you sign up as a Close to My Heart Consultant with me in April then you will get these 4 Stamp of the Months for FREE!!

 

A Little About Me: I've been a Close to My Heart Consultant for 16 years and I have LOVED just about every minute of it. I originally signed up as a consultant when I was finishing college AND had a full time job. Well a husband and two children later, I can say that I've been through just about every lifestyle scenario possible. I understand what it is like to have a newborn and a three year old and try to put together a workshop. Yes, it can be done! In fact, it gave me something for myself. I wasn't just the ragged mom with two kids, but Close to My Heart gave me a reason to get cleaned up and hang out with adults for a while. The bonus was that I actually made money too! When I originally signed up I just wanted to make enough to pay for my hobby. That is a great reason, right!? Well pretty soon I was also able to pay for groceries, help with trips, etc! That is the exciting part of a business like this - you can put as much or little time into it as you'd like and make as much or little as you want. I love this business and LOVE to share this blessing with others.

What I Offer to My Team:

• Training - I will meet with you (in person or online/phone) to make sure you are fully trained on the creative and business aspects of the business. CTMH makes it SO easy and provides a step-by-step program to make sure you are quickly ready for your workshops or gatherings 
• Monthly Support - My team and I meet every 2nd Monday of the month to go over new specials and business tips, participate in a fun artwork swaps, and make an exciting project. The meeting is geared mostly around the projects and fun! 
• Newsletters -  I gather all of the information I shared at the team meeting and put it in a newsletter. Instructions to the projects, photos, business information, etc are available to downline that aren't able to attend the meetings or might live too far away.
• Communication - I am available via text, email, or phone call almost all the time. (Love my smartphone!) If you have a question or need to talk then I will get back to you very quickly. 

Consultant Kit:
Can you believe back when I signed up the kit cost about $380? Well now it's only $49!! ($155 retail value!) PLUS you get the 4 stamp sets free in April! Holy cow! If you love stamping and/or scrapbooking then this is the TIME to sign up! For more information about the kit or to sign up as a consultant then go to my website here. (4 Free sets will be available beginning April 1st.)

Please feel free to email me or leave a message in the comments. I would love to meet with you on the phone or in person if you would like as well! Pin It

Buzz & Bumble Studio J Layout Idea

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Check out this great Studio J scrapbook tutorial! If you would like to get your photos off your camera and onto a scrapbook page without getting out several supplies then give Studio J a try!


Open the full screen to be able to view the video better. Thanks! Pin It

March Workshop Teasers

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I'm looking forward to sharing this card at my workshop this coming Saturday. I hope you can join us! Let me know if you can come by commenting below. If you can't make it and still want the projects then the supplies and instructions are available with any order if $20 or more and a $5 supply fee. Check out the March Workshop post for more information! Here is a Baby and Thank You (2 out of 5) that we will be making:

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CTMH Chantilly & Buzz and Bumble Combination Scrapbook Layout

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I love how these two paper packets work together! The pinks and blues from the Chantilly paper combined with the brown tones from the Buzz & Bumble Papers create a very warm scrapbook layout. Have you tried combining some of your paper packets lately? Please share in the comments section!

Supplies:
Chantilly Paper Packet 
Buzz & Bumble Workshop on the Go (papers and stamp set)
Paper Flowers
Pink Buttons
Paradise Twine
Cocoa Ink Pad
Sponge
Cricut Art Philosophy Cartridge (letters)
Sanding Kit
Liquid Glass
Tombow Adhesive Pin It

CTMH Buzz & Bumble Alcohol Markers Card

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This 5 x7 card was the favorite at my team meeting on Monday. If you haven't had a chance to try Close to My Heart's new Alcohol Markers then you must try them!  The apple is colored using these great tools.

Close to My Heart makes it so easy shade the outline stamped images. Simply use the darker marker where the little lines or dots are shown on the image. We used the darker Cranberry marker around the edges and where the lines are toward the top of the apple. Then we colored the entire apple with the lighter marker. I went around the edges one more time to blend and shade a little bit more. The leaves are colored using the Olive markers using the same technique.

An added bonus to using the Alcohol Markers is that you can add some watercolors to the paper without the other colors running. I LOVE THIS LOOK! We went around the outerlines with the Desert Sand Watercolor Pencil and then used the Water Brush to give it a watercolor feel. It really helps the images pop!

Another side-use (yes, I think I just made up that word) for the Water Brush is to run it down the edge of a piece of B&T and then roll it up using a skewer.  We did that with the striped B&T and it stays perfectly and adds vertical balance to the card.

To give the leaves a 3-D look we used an exacto knife to cut out around the outer edge and pulled it up a little bit. The chicken wire stamp is from a new fabulous set called Distressed Backgrounds. This was stamped on top of the light B&T paper from the Buzz & Bumble Paper. Isn't the little wooden bee adorable? It is self-adhesive too! I just stuck it on top of the Seam Binding Ribbon and BAM! Done! Let me know if you have any questions!

Supplies:
Buzz & Bumble Paper Packet

  7” x 10” Colonial White Cardstock

  3” x 3” Colonial White Cardstock

  3 ½” x 3 ½” Cocoa Cardstock

  5” x 7” Light Print B&T (Cocoa print on the backside)

  3 ½” x 3 ½” Bee/Striped B&T paper 

Buzz & Bumble Accents - Bee Shaped Chipboard (or a coordinating Brad will work)

July Stamp of the Month (Available this coming July!)

Distressed Backgrounds Stamp Set

Acrylic Blocks

Cocoa Ink Pad

Brown Stazon Pad

Waterbrush

Watercolor Pencils

Cranberry Alcohol Marker Set

Sweet Leaf Alcohol Marker Set

Olive Alcohol Marker Set

Cutting Mat

Exacto Knife

Seam Binding Ribbon

Skewer/Tiny paintbrush to roll cardstock

Adhesive

 

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CTMH Buzz & Bumble Card

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This is the first of two cards we made at my team meeting last night. Our focus was using our new Alcohol Markers, shading, and watercoloring. This card uses the watercoloring technique with our ink pads. The details are below. Enjoy!

Supplies:

Buzz & Bumble Paper Packet:

  5 1/2" x 8 1/2" Colonial White Cardstock

  1"  x 5 1/2" Honeycomb B&T paper

  1 3/4" x 5 1/2" Cocoa B&T

  5 1/2" Houndstooth Zip Strip

  2 1/2" x 2 1/2" Cocoa Cardstock

  2 1/8" x 2 1/8" Creme Brulee Cardstock

  2" x 2" Colonial White Cardstock

Buzz & Bumble Assort - Bee Shaped Chipboard

July Stamp of the Month (Look for this to be available in July!)

Acrylic Blocks

Brown Stazon Pad

New England Ivy Ink Pad

Creme Brulee Ink Pad

Cranberry Ink Pad

Cocoa Ink Pad

Waterbrush

Foam Tape

(3) Antique Copper Brads

Natural Hemp

Piercing Tool

Tombow Adhesive
Paper Towel or rag

Instructions:

• Using the Brown Stazon Ink Pad, stamp the cherries onto the small Colonial White cardstock
• Squeeze the ink pads into their lids so the ink is now on the inside of the lids (this will be your pallet!)
• Open all of the ink pads so the inside of the lid is facing you
• Add water to the Water Brush if needed
• Squeeze the Water Brush so a few drops of water drip onto a paper towel
• Swipe the Waterbrush over the Creme Brulee ink that is in the top of its lid
• Color in the cherries using the Creme Brulee ink and Water Brush going from the top of the cherry to the bottom
• Squeeze the Water Brush onto the paper towel again to clean the brush
• Swipe the Water Brush over the Cranberry Ink inside its lid and starting from the bottom, brush up on the cherries, but not all the way to the top. This will help blend the two colors and leave some yellow at the top like a natural cherry. The more you "go outside the lines" (Gasp!), the more of a watercolor effect you will get. Beautiful!
• Using the same techniques, color in the branch with Cocoa ink and the leaves with New England Ivy ink
• Place this wet piece of cardstock between two pieces of paper towels and put a book or a heavy acrylic block on top to dry flat
• Adhere background paper and zip strip to Colonial White card as shown
• Stamp the "Sweet as cherry pie" saying below the zip strip toward the right using the Brown Stazon Pad
• Adhere the Cocoa Cardstock square to the left side as shown
• Wrap the Natural Hemp around the card twice and tie a bow toward the right
• Add 3 Antique Copper Brads to the top/right 
• After your Colonial White square is dry, adhere it to the Creme Brulee cardstock square and foam tape them to the top of the Cocoa square
• Let me know if you have any questions!

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Close to My Heart Fabric Ideas

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I love these tips on how to use CTMH's new Textiles!

Items can be found here! Pin It

Close to My Heart Scroll Album

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These VERY COOL scroll albums are on sale (while supplies last) on my website among many other great products!



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