Back to Basics Technique Hop

Posted on October 14, 2019

in CTMH

Do you ever find yourself paralyzed by the amount of crafting supplies you have? Or perhaps you are new to stamping and wonder where to begin when there are so many choices. The answer to both the seasoned and the new stamper is to get back to basics!

Welcome to the CTMH Back to Basics
Stamping Techniques Blog Hop!

We have gathered 14 talented Close To My Heart Consultants to share some of our favorite stamping techniques. If you are joining me from Tamara Sandwisch’s blog, you are on the right track. Remember, a blog hop is a great big circle, so you can start here and work your way around.

Stamping Techniques Blog Hop--Thinking of You card created by random stamping a background in colorful leaves and acorns

Random Stamping Technique

One of my all-time favorite stamping techniques is to create my own patterned paper using random stamping. For this project, I used the Autumn Air Stamp of the Month (S1910) along with Sangria, Saffron, Paprika, Sage and Toffee inks. The key with the random stamping technique is to make sure you are stamping your images in a triangle to avoid a uniform pattern. I turn my stamp each time so that the leaves and acorns are not always pointing in the same direction. Notice that the images also go off the edge of the paper to give it the look of printed patterned paper. What I love most about the random stamping technique is that it helps you get a lot of mileage out of your stamp sets.

Stamping Techniques Blog Hop--close up of an acorn covered in shimmer brush

I stamped the sentiment from Say It in Style (D1283) and covered the acorn with the Clear Shimmer Brush for added shine.

Creative Play Challenge

To help you engage in creative play, I’m going to issue challenges and ask that you post your results here with a link or the actual image. Your first challenge is to explore your creativity by creating your own background paper using the random stamping technique. Limit your supplies to only stamps, 4-6 ink pads, and 2-3 colors of cardstock. I look forward to seeing your cards/projects!

Back to the Basics Blog Hop

Next stop on the hop is the amazing Katy Taylor! Her art always inspires, so I look forward to seeing what she has in store for us.

Sparkle & Shine! Blog Hop

Posted on August 15, 2019

in Cards, CTMH, SOTM

14 Comments

Welcome to our “Sparkle & Shine” blog hop! There are many ways to add some sparkle and shine to your crafty projects, and we’ve gathered 16 talented Close To My Heart Consultants to provide you with some inspiration. If you are joining me from Judy Faye Garner’s blog, you are on the right track. Remember, a blog hop is a great big circle, so you can start here and work your way around.

Adding Sparkle & Shine to turn a plain card into a “WOW” card!

What’s Missing?

The August Stamp of the Month (S1908 From Me to You) pairs perfectly with the cute critters from Wild & Punny (D1865). I made this cute card featuring the Craft On paper. It’s fine, but it just didn’t feel complete.

Adding Some Bling!

This is where I started adding some Sparkle & Shine in the form of the Crafty Loose Sequins! Again, it’s a cute card, but I wasn’t quite satisfied. I decided to start over and add even more bling.

Shh…Sneak Peek!

This time around, I colored my cute critter with the new alcohol markers we will be launching next month! I love how they blend and can’t wait to share more with you on September 1. Until then…mums the word. To add a little more bling to this little guy, I covered the stripes with Liquid Glass using the Fine Tip Applicator (Z4089). When it dries, it creates a shiny embossed area.

Putting It All Together

For this card, I used Lilac cardstock and ink. Since it is a fairly pale purple, I wanted to make it pop by adding a little more Sparkle & Shine in the form of Black Glitter Paper (Z3236)!

Notice how the added layers make the card feel more finished. I also added some Sparkle & Shine to the sequins by putting Clear and Bitty Sparkles into the centers.

I’m now happy with this card thanks to some Sparkle & Shine and am ready to move on to my next project! I hope you enjoyed the walk through my process. Let me know if you have any questions or suggestions on ways to improve the card in the comments below. I love hearing from you!

Now it’s time to head on over to Wendy Kessler’s blog!

Highlight the Details Technique Hop

Posted on April 15, 2019

in Cards, CTMH

18 Comments

Welcome to our “Highlight the Details” blog hop! There are many ways to highlight the stamped details on your projects, and we’ve gathered 11 talented Close To My Heart Consultants to provide you with some inspiration. If you are joining me from Haley Dyer’s blog, you are on the right track. Remember, a blog hop is a great big circle, so you can start here and work your way around.

Highlight the Details with Watercolor Pencils

Using the paper airplane stamp from Wish You Were Here (B1645), I created my own patterned paper. This would look great if it were tone on tone using colored cardstock and ink, but it looks a little plain using Pewter Ink (Z2832) on White Daisy Cardstock (X6027).

By adding Watercolor Pencils (Z4242), I was able to highlight the image and make it stand out from the background. The pencils add subtle shading (I did not add water this time), but you could achieve a more dramatic look using ShinHan Markers (Z9977).

I cut the stamped panel down using the Stitched Rectangle Thin Cuts (this set is currently unavailable, but it will be back soon!). I added the panel to the rainbow paper from I Heart Us Paper Packet (X7242B)…this paper makes me so happy! I finished off the card with more stamped images and a sentiment from Wish You Were Here (B1645).

Now, “hop” on over to Lauren Moore’s blog to see her works of art! Contact your CTMH Consultant (or click here) to get the products that I used for this project.

March 2019 SOTM Blog Hop — This Happened

Posted on March 1, 2019

in Cards, CTMH, SOTM

12 Comments

Welcome to the March 2019 SOTM Blog Hop!

Welcome to the March 2019 Stamp of the Month Blog Hop. This month, 22 Close To My Heart consultants are featuring This Happened (S1903), which is a fantastic set of 26 stamps perfectly suited for scrapbooking. If you are coming here from Michelle Johns’ blog, you are on the right track. The blog hop is a great big circle, so you can start here and work your way around. If you get lost along the way, you’ll find the complete list of participating consultants on Melinda’s blog.

This Happened SOTM Card?

“Amy,” you may be saying, “you just said this set is perfectly suited for scrapbooking. Why are you showing us a card?” Well, my crafty friends, I like to think outside-of-the-box and try to create something unexpected. In this case, I cut up the “Love This” sentiment and the “Take Note” banner to create my own “Love Note” sentiment. I also stamped my own background using one of the small icons from the SOTM. I hope you will never feel boxed in by the “theme” of a stamp set or paper collection.

Get Your SOTM Today

Remember that the This Happened (S1903) SOTM is only available until March 31, 2019. Contact your CTMH Consultant (or click here) to see how you can get this stamp set at a discount!

Keeping Hopping Along the SOTM Blog Hop

Now hop on over to Megan Lawrence’s blog to see her artwork! Be sure to visit all the blogs and leave some love along the way in the form of comments.

October SOTM Blog Hop – Thanks & Giving

Posted on October 1, 2018

in Cards, CTMH

14 Comments

Welcome to the October Stamp of the Month Blog Hop where we are full of Thanks & Giving!

I’m so inspired by this beautiful stamp set as it is a wonderful reminder to give thanks. I hope that you, too, will be inspired by all of the amazing artists along the Thanks & Giving blog hop. Remember that blog hops are a big, fun circle and that you can hop on at any point. If you are coming from Brenda Lapp’s blog, you are on the right track. If you ever get lost, you will find the complete list of participants on Melinda’s blog. Remember to give my fellow consultants some love along the way by leaving comments.

My Thanks & Giving Art

Did you know that CTMH has new Watercolor Pencils? You can use them with or without water. For this card, I colored directly on to Kraft paper. I used pairs of watercolor pencils to give the leaves some dimension. In addition to using the Stamp of the Month, I added the “for you” sentiment from the Just a Little Something (C1730) stamp set.

The stitched borders were added using a Thin Cut from the new Decorative Borders (Z4241) collection. I’m pretty sure it is my favorite product from the new Idea Book! I can’t stop using them…especially this stitched border.

So, here is a question for you…does this card seem complete? I debated with myself about adding sequins or bling, but I was going for a clean and simple look with the leaves as the star of the show. Once I added the white embossing, the leaves became a little muted and now I wonder. Let me know in the comments if you would add some bling or leave it as it is. While you are at it, let me know what you are thankful for at this very moment!

Shop & Hop

The Thanks & Giving Stamp of the Month is available October 1-31, 2018, only. The regular price is $18.95, or you can get it for only $5 with a $50 purchase. You may purchase this stamp set as well as any supplies you see listed above on my website.

Thank you for visiting my blog. After you leave a comment, it’s time to hop on over to Melissa Robinson‘s blog to see what she has made with this adorable stamp set.

Step Right Up!

Posted on July 7, 2018

in Cricut, CTMH

2 Comments

UPDATE: The Step Right Up special has ended, but there are still a few options for getting this design space file.

Join my team and I’ll send you any Design Space files or workshops that I create.
Place a $20 order on my website and I’ll send you the Design Space file for FREE! Just email me your order # and email address, and I’ll send the file right out to you.
Send $5 to my PayPal account at amy @ shakespearehigh . com (remove the spaces). Be sure to use the “Send to Friend” option so no fees are charged. Add your email address to the comment section and I’ll send it right out to you. Be sure to let me know you want The Greatest Showman layout.

In addition to the Design Space file, I’m including a handout with detailed photos and tips for cutting and assembling your layout.

For CTMH consultants, it also includes a consultant release so you can teach the layout at an in-home workshop!

Amy

Step Right Up Meets Cricut Design Space

I love designing layouts and cards in Cricut Design Space. It gives me much more confidence when it comes to actually cutting into my paper. LOL! When Close To My Heart released the new Step Right Up special, I was inspired by the circus theme to create a layout celebrating my latest obsession, The Greatest Showman. I used 6 Close To My Heart Cricut collections on this layout: Artistry, Flower Market, Hello USA, Artbooking, Artiste, and You Are Here. Whew! There was a lot of slicing and welding going on for this one.

I finished the paper version of the layout today…just in time, because my friends and I are going to see the movie again on Tuesday! I’ll be sure to take photos of our outing to use on this layout.

DIE-NAMITE! Thin Cut Special

Step Right Up is not the only special we are having this month. You can also save 25-30% on Thin Cuts this month…including some that have been retired! I’m excited to share some cards I created with these oldies but goodies…yet, that’s for another post. 🙂 If you follow me on Instagram or Facebook, you have seen me make a lot of cards recently using the Block Alphabet Thin Cuts. I also used them to help create the title for this layout.

The Showtime stamp set has so many cute images. I used the harlequin pattern in 2nd generation Chrystal Blue behind the clouds for added texture.

I really wanted to give my lion some character, so I added a hat and mustache, painted pink cheeks with the Bashful Shimmer Brush, and added highlights using a white gel pen.

Make Your Own Step Right Up Layout!

If you purchase the Step Right Up bundle from me in March, I’ll send you the Cricut Design Space file so you can make your own “This is the Greatest Show” layout!

Please leave a comment below and let me know if you have seen The Greatest Showman yet. If so, what’s your favorite song from the movie?!

Make Waves Pinwheel Card Tutorial

Posted on February 19, 2018

in Cards, CTMH

1 Comment

Pinwheel Card Tutorial

I love double-sided, patterned paper and have recently been on a quest to find fun fold cards that will showcase both sides of the paper. The first I discovered was this adorable pinwheel card fold, so I thought I would make a quick tutorial. I used the following CTMH products on my card:

X7227B Make Waves Paper
S1802 Sunny Thoughts SOTM
X5941 Bashful Cardstock
X5984 Pixie Cardstock
Z2844 Pixie Ink Pad
Z534 Micro-tip Scissors

Be sure to take advantage of the Pretty in Pink sale this month where you can save 25-30% on pink items including the cardstock and ink used on this card!

To create the card, you will need the following paper:

8″ x 8″ double-sided paper
4″ x 4″ cardstock or paper for inside
7/8″ x 12″ paper or cardstock for belly band
12″ Zip Strip for decorating the belly band
Additional paper/cardstock to decorate your card

One of my YouTube subscribers sent me a picture of the card she recreated from the video, and I’m thinking I may not have been entirely clear on the instructions, so read this prior to making the card! Roughly 5 minutes into the video, I show you how to score on the inside of the card to the corner you just cut out. Please note that you are only scoring on the left side of each flap so that, when folded, your paper looks like the image to the left.

I hope you enjoy this video, and please subscribe to my YouTube channel and share your cards with me in the comments below or on my StudioScrapping Facebook page!

Featured Paper Blog Hop–Chelsea Gardens

Posted on January 20, 2018

in CTMH

16 Comments

Welcome to our Featured Paper Blog Hop!

We will be showcasing items from our Chelsea Gardens Paper Pack with various projects created by twelve talented Close To My Heart consultants. If you are visiting from Brittany Allred’s blog then you are on the right track. If not, don’t worry as our blog hop will take you in a full circle.

Chelsea Gardens

I’ve had the good fortune of playing with the Chelsea Gardens paper since the CTMH Album Retreat in October. Ah…the perks of being a consultant…getting to go to Album Retreat and playing with new product early! Three months later, and I am still in love with this paper.

Don’t let the floral prints fool you, Chelsea Gardens has some incredible neutrals that will fit a variety of themes in scrapbooking and card making. When I got home from Album Retreat, I created this card using a PML card from Chelsea Gardens and the Operation Smile™: Punny Pals stamp set. I love using the PML cards on my greeting cards because the patterns are so amazing.

Here is my most recent Chelsea Gardens card paired with the January Stamp of the Month, Bloom & Grow, and the adorable Good Thymes Together stamp. Some people take the time to mask off parts of the stamp they don’t want to show…not me! I cut the stamp set apart to get the little jars alone. That’s one of the things I love about clear stamps–they are easy to cut apart and easy to put back together on a block! I colored the stamped images by squeezing my ink pads to get some color into the lid. I then used a Blending Pen to pick up the color.

One last tip–Chelsea Gardens looks great with a variety of colors. It is a fairly neutral palette, so it really helps colors to pop. I heat embossed the butterflies on vellum using white embossing powder. I then colored on the back of the image using ShinHan markers. I love how this card turned out. It is really beautiful in person.

Please leave a comment before continuing on with the hop and let me know which of these cards or tips was your favorite!

Next check out the great artwork by Cheryl Arbo!

Click to leave a comment.

CTMH Technique Blog Hop – Blushing Backgrounds

Posted on January 15, 2018

in Cards, CTMH

10 Comments

CTMH Technique Blog Hop ~ Blushing Backgrounds

Welcome to the CTMH Technique Blog Hop! This month, we are focusing on Blushing Backgrounds in the hope that you will find some new uses for your background stamps. If you are joining me from Annemarie Julian Wetzel’s blog, you are on the right track!

One of the things I love best about background stamps is that they let me create my own patterned paper. For the Whale Done card, I stamped Shells & Stars onto ombré paper from the Adventure Fundamentals. That paper would have been fine on its own, but I really like the added texture I get on my card with tone-on-tone stamping. It adds just enough interest without taking away from the icon and sentiment from the Make Waves Cardmaking Stamp.

Kraft paper is such a fantastic neutral, and I use it in scrapbooking all the time. It can look a little plain in cardmaking, so I jazz it up by adding background stamps! The Paws stamp set is perfect for either cats or dogs, so I paired it with the Cat’s Meow stamp to create this simple yet adorable card.

Here’s a quick bonus technique for you–I cut the “Nine Lives” stamp apart so that I could finish the sentiment on the inside of the card. I added ellipses on both the front and inside with a Blending Pen and Toffee ink. The Blending Pen is in the Going Soon section of my website, so get some while you still can. I have one for every color family.

Here are a few more examples of background stamps or small stamps used to create backgrounds. Look at your stash of stamps and get creative. I would love for you to share your creations in the comments below or on the StudioScrapping Facebook page.

The next stop on the hop is Melissa Robinson’s blog.

Click to leave a comment!

I’m back with loads of CTMH goodness to share!

Posted on September 10, 2017

in Cards, Cricut, CTMH, SOTM

September 2017 Stamp of the Month

I’m a fan of the September SOTM, Feel So Blessed. Here is the first card I created with it. I used the new color of the year, Bashful, along with the new Rose embossing folder. I have to admit that it has been awhile since I’ve done heat embossing, and I managed to run my finger through the letters before they were dry. I’m sure I’ll do better next time. LOL!

I can’t wait to see what you create with this awesome stamp set. It will be perfect for my November gratitude journal!

New Cricut Collections

Calling all Cricut fans…CTMH knocked it out of the park with 4 new Cricut collections. That’s right, four! The You Are Here Cricut Collection contains everything from travel to staycation images. It is really fun…and the stamp sets are fantastic! Here are a couple swap cards I created with them.

The other three digital-only country collections are Hello USA, Hello Canada, and Hello AU/NZ!

Wow! It is really late and I have so much to share. Looks like I’ll have to make another post, so be sure to subscribe to my feed so you receive an email when I make the next post.

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