Moving camp

Hello dear reader

I am just popping in to say I have started a fresh new blog and I would love for you to come and join me.

I will be honest, I got tired of just posting ‘how to’ posts for scrapbookers and while they are not going away, I have created a much broader topic range for the new blog with a focus on creativity, life, and craft.

You can pop over now and be sure to subscribe so you do not miss a post. If you would like to help me work out what to write about and focus on I would appreciate you taking the time to do  a quick survey for me. Click here.

Be sure to check it out as my first new product feature layout is going up soon!

May Stamp of the Month

Oh my goodness! I think I have to make an awesome apology to you dear reader. I have not been offering to the world some creative inspiration for, I am ashamed to say it, a year! Goodness gracious. I have been promising myself I would get back to the blog, but didn’t act on it…until now. I am going to put the get up and go do it on Mel Robbins and her book The 5 Second Rule. Since discovering this book I have stopped hitting snooze on my alarm and got more done in my day. This week I am doing my 30 before 7.30. It works – go look it up! 54321 Do it…don’t delay, but please come back here when you are done! #5secondrule works. Every day I thought about the blog…today I 54321 acted on it.

Sunraysia Stash Scrappers has now been realised in Mildura and we hold successful monthly crops thanks to the beautiful members of The Creative Hearts team who run them and bring their customers along. Our workshops in Mildura are a 6 hour event offering you time to do something with the new and scrap your stash all in one day. Drop me a line at thecreativeheart@nenifoofer.com.au if you would like to know more! Now on to what I have to offer you.

I am too late for stamp of the month blog hops this month but I would like to share with you a design that was originally inspired by something on Pinterest, executed by one of my team members Kristy, with the stamp ‘Hello’ which was exclusive to the Seasonal Expressions collection that has just finished. Close To My Heart has replicated with design concept in the Stamp of the Month program. It has loads of uses. Check it out!

Here is what we made with it:

Here is how you can easily replicate this design.

First use a plate to mark off a circle on a sheet of white cardstock. Then take a printed pattern paper (this one is Hello Lovely from SE1 and NLA but there is sure to be a pretty print you have in your stash you can use) and use your trimmer to cut out a one inch border. Keep the sheet whole. To do this I insert my blade in the fiskars trimmer at 1 inch and stop at 11 – rotate to cut all four sides. This will provide you the border for the left hand page where your circle is and an 11 inch square for the base of the right.

Now start with the sentiment and stamp it at the top of your circle. I used our Archival Black ink for all the stamping. Grab some sticky notes or other scrap paper to use as a mask when necessary and stamp an arrangement of the flowers and leaves around the circle masking over areas already stamped. Stamp more flowers and leaves on scrap white along with another of the words to cut out and mount up on the right hand side. Colour these in in colours that will compliment your printed paper design. I used our watercolour pencils because I wanted the softer look. I was also deliberately suggestive rather than accurate when colouring the words. It gives them a painterly touch.

On the circle page I then used a craft knife to cut slots where flowers and leaves would overlap a photo mount. Remember your Versamat works as a cutting mat! I used a 6×4 mount. Mark the edge in pencil the you can see where you need to cut so the mount will slide under. Then fussy cut and assemble your letters and motifs on the right hand page. Add photo mounts as required and you are done. You can repeat this design with lots of different papers and stamps. Give it a try!

If you would like to purchase this stamp set you can get it at full price or pay just $7.50if you place a qualifying $75 order. That is why I love Stamp of the Month! Find out more here,

Up Next – Stay tuned for artwork from the NEW Seasonal Expressions Idea book AND check out Live Beautifully for National Scrapbook Month!

Thanks for stopping by and thanks for browsing my online store! Your order is important to me,

Jenny

PS Here is a link to the brand new Seasonal Expressions released today!

 

Happy Times National Stamping Month Blog Hop

Hello and welcome aboard our National Scrapbook Month Australasian Close to My Heart Blog Hop.  If you have arrived here from Wendy Hopper  then you are in the right place. 
If you landed here by accident, no problem, please join in by following the link at the end of this post. 

Today I would like to share with you a creation which features Close To My Heart’s National Scrapbook Month Paper Collection Happy Times

NSM Happy Times

This paper is just so pretty it is hard to decide which way to use it and which bit to use so I have used it all! I decided to make a layout to share with my CTMH Team celebrating our crafty lives. I have no photos on it yet (I know not good) but now I have an excuse to take some snaps and a page is ready to go for our Convention Photos. I have used a couple of consultant only stamps as my Happy Times stamp has not yet arrived. I also used the paint brush stamp from the set we had ealrier in the year for National Stamping month. It is a  favourite!

National Scrapbook Month Free paper collection with orders over $85

 

Embellishment detail

To construct the layout I cut a 3 1/2 inch strip from each paper and created 3 1/2 inch squares. I arranged these how I liked as evenly as I could on the Peacock background. This will be the background for a smattering of 3×3 photos. On the other side I used a 7 inch strip of the green/blue paper and made a 7 1/2 x 5/12 base ready for a 7 x 5 photo. I took a solid piece of the gold foil and some zip strip pieces to ground the photo and fussy cut some flowers from the floral print. (My stamp set has not arrived yet!)  I have tucked in some loops from the new White Twine and used Gold Heat embossing for the sentiment. I finished it off with pink enamel gems. I decided it needed a border so I have used Gold foil tape. This design could also easily be replicated with Pomegranate as the background colour.

PS Sorry about the shine on the gold foil paper!

This exclusive National Scrapbook Month Paper Collection Happy Times is only available during MAY. 

• It can be yours for FREE with a qualifying order of $85 or for $23 if ordered separately from your CTMH consultant.
• The coordinating Stamp set is also avaliable for $27
• Don’t forget your Stamp of the month and your free new Seasonal Expressions book with your order!

 

If you do not have a consultant please contact me or place an order here.

I’d love you to leave a comment before heading off to the next stop,  Meryl Cheetham – Mez’s Craft Room

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Products used

• Peacock Cardstock and ink
• Happy Times Paper Collection
• Ez Dot adhesive
• Go;d embossing powder
• Versamark ink
• 3D foam tape.

 

May SOTM Celebrate with Cake Australasian Blog Hop

Hello and welcome to our Australasian Stamp Of the Month Blog Hop. If you came from Meryl Cheetham at Mez’s Craft Room

you are in the right place.If you landed here by accident, no problem, please join in by following the link at the end of this post. 

Today I would like to share with you a creation which features Close To My Heart’s MAY Stamp of the Month.

 

Why do we have cake? To celebrate birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, special achievements and other cultural events within schools and workplaces. It is the ultimate sharing of those special moments and we love snapping photos of those cakes too!

I love S1605 Celebrate with Cake for it’s versatility for any occasion and the opportunity to play with colour. While I normally share pages with you I was in the mood for some cardmaking  so I have put together these two cards. I hope you like them.

Celebrate with cake for a birthday or an anniversary.

To create these cards I have stamped the outline with Memento Black Ink and then applied clear heat embossing for a nice crisp black line that will not budge.(if you ware quick enough you will not need versamark)  I have coloured with our water colour pencils using colours to coordinate with the background paper, Kaleidoscope.I blended with a little water on a paint brush and deepened colours at edges to help create the rounded look. I then fussy cut my cakes (therapeutic) and used foam tape to mount them to the Kaleidoscope background paper. I mounted these on Pixie card fronts measuring 5 1/2 x 4 1/4 inches to suit out Bulk Pack of card and envelopes. I added bling to my cards up with bitty sparkles.

Here is a closer look at the stamp set and each card

S1605 Celebrate with Cake

To ground this cake I have simply used white Shimmer trim. It is important to ground your design somehow.

 

To ground this plate I have used the triangle border punch and the fabulous Green Shimmer trim.

Tips and suggestions

• Use your scraps of white to stamp
• try variations in the layers – stamp all at once or stamp individual layers.
•  Any paper and any colours would work. Use the colours listed on a zip strip as a guide.
• You could also Celebrate with cake by stamping directly onto patterned paper or even some watercolour background you have created!
• Just relax and enjoy the experiment with colour. (Yes one did go in the bin – I did not like it!)
• Try colouring with Shin Hanmarkers or watercolour paint
• Very excited to add to the supply list watercoloring pens! No more spilled water – check out thenew Seasonal Expressions for these.

This exclusive Celebrate with Cake SOTM is only available during MAY. It can be yours for just $7.50 with a qualifying order of $75 or for $27 if ordered separately from your CTMH consultant. If you do not have a consultant please contact me or place an order at The Creative Heart and be in the draw for Virtual Host rewards.

I’d love you to leave a comment before heading off to the next stop, Wendy Hopper – Expressions of the Heart

 

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Shopping list

• S1605 Celebrate with Cake 
• 3505 Watercolour Pencils
• x254 Bulk Cards and Envelopes
• z899 Memento Black Ink
• z2088 Clear Embossing Powder
• z3087 Green and z3024 white Shimmer trim
• z1997 Triangle Border Punch
• Z1151 Foam Mounting Tape
• x72027b Kaleidoscope paper collection

 

 

Why I Became a Close to My Heart Consultant Blog Hop

Hello and welcome to a lovely blog hop exploring our why! If you have arrived here from Wendy Coffman  you are in the right place.

I am truly sorry to say I have to cut this post short. I could mull for hours over my why! One of my ‘why’s’ is the flexibility of how and when I work. This week has been consumed by family matters. I am pleased to say they are doing well ut it has meant my original intentions for this post have not been met.

That being said I love that CTMH came to Australia! We had nothing to lose by jumping right in and to be honest I was Craving the Creativity! I loved playing with stamps and inks on my memory keeping pages right away. I love that I can share this with others. If I dig deep into my soul I am at the very core of my being a teacher and Close To My Heart gives me a fun, colourful, vibrant classroom of excited learners to teach to – a teacher’s dream!! Why not have learners who want to learn, the lessons already made, and the business marketing already done!

Experienced or not at ‘teaching’ or at ‘business’ or in ‘craft’ there is something for all of us here at Close to My Heart along with a foundation on which you can create new friendships and merge with the ‘sisterhood’ creating and recording smiles wherever you go.

There is no time like this month to join with our new joining offer and I would love to help you consider if being a Close To My Heart consultant would be a good fit for you. You can find out more right here! Do you think you are worth it? (Specifically for Australian readers) Please complete the contact form below.

I look forward to reading the hop stories and more, even hearing from you with an expression of interest to know more!

To continue on the Blog hop please head to the lovely Melinda Everitt  to read about her Why! I am sure she will have a lovely story to tell.

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CTMH Australasian April Life In Pictures Blog Hop

Hello and welcome aboard our April Australasian Close to My Heart Blog Hop.  If you have arrived here from Georgia O’Shea – Georgia Creates then you are in the right place.  If you landed here by accident, no problem, please join in by following the link at the end of this post.  Today I would like to share with you a creation which features Close To My Heart’s April Stamp of the Month Life In Pictures

S1604 Life In Pictures available from your consultant this month only.

I love taking pictures don’t you? Our stamp of the month Life In Pictures is the perfect addition to a scrapbooker’s collection of embellishments for pages. It is important to tell the story that matters to you!

I recently completed this page to share with you. I have used some pieces from the Charlotte paper collection, some pages from My Crush Everyday Life pages and our lovely Black Overlay PML cards to design the page and really focus on the story in pictures. I have decorated with The Stamp of the Month Life in Pictures, the Charlotte Compliments and triangles make up the bling from the Black Fundamentals Assortment.

April Stamp of the Month S1604 Life In Pictures Layout

This page really represents the essence of scrapbooking for me – the importance of capturing a moment that has a great personal significance and spending some time to show through my decoration that while it may not be startling for someone else at that moment in time I was in a pretty special place. Pages either side of this in my album will cover where I am exactly, (at Xcaret evening show in Mexico, the climax IMO of my trip to Mexico) but this layout shows I did treat myself to a little first class service for the first time on the trip and I am very glad I did!

Clustered stamps, paper strips, my crush pages and clear overlay with black lines all come together

From a layout perspective I am showing here we can capture the essence of our photos through embellishments from many sources. I have mixed and matched papers, card stock, PML cards, Stamps and Bling, all listed below. I stamped the images in Black and coloured with a little Desert Sand Watercolour Pencil to emphasis the shadows a bit. I did fussy cut them and the mounted them to black and almost fussy cut them a second time which has given them that extra dimension.  I hope you enjoy!

Use your scissors to peel away the protective film on the clear PML cards

 

This exclusive Stamp of the Month is only available during April. It can be yours for just $7.50 with a qualifying order of $75 or for $27 if ordered separately from your CTMH consultant. If you do not have a consultant please contact me or place an order here. Enjoy the convenience of direct shipping. Your discounted stamp will be offered when your order qualifies for te discount so you will not miss out. Be sure to say yes to the Monthly Virtual Gathering to be in the draw for special rewards.

I’d love to have your feedback so please leave a comment before heading off to the next stop,Denise Tarlinton- Scrap Stamp Share

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Ingredients

Charlotte Paper Packet X7205B

Charlotte Paper Packet

 

 

 

 

 

 

Charlotte Complements X7205C

Charlotte Compliments

Picture My Life™ Overlay Black Z3145

Picture My Life Black Overlay

My Crush Every Day Life

Fundamental Assortment Black Z3104

April 2016: Life in Pictures

S1604 Life in Pictures

You will also need

• Watercolour Pencils
• Black Ink
• Bonding Memories Glue stick
• Memory Book Glue Dots
• Le pen Journalling Pen 
• Black Cardstock

 

Australasian Blog Hop Stampaganza!

Hello and welcome aboard our STAMPAGANZA Australasian Close to My Heart Blog Hop. If you have arrived here from Denise Tarlinton- Scrap Stamp Share then you are in the right place. If you landed here by accident, no problem, please join in by following the link at the end of this post. 

Today I would like to share with you a creation which features Close To My Heart’s Constant Campaign Stampaganza! 

Buy any two My Acrylix^® stamp sets (M-, A-, B-, C-, D-, or E-size) at full retail price and get a third stamp set of equal or lesser value FREE! That is a savings of up to $45 AUD / $54 NZD! Just a reminder: If you purchase multiple stamps in sets of three (six, nine, twelve, etc.), you will earn the lowest-priced stamp sets on your entire order for free. For example, if you order nine total stamp sets, the three lowest priced stamp sets will be free.This offer is only available during March, so start submitting your stamp orders as soon as possible, and let the Stampaganza begin!

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I have really enjoyed a little trip down memory lane putting this page together. it incorporates many favourite techniques, stamps and is about one of my favourite places and their food!

 

I have used Water colour paper, and paints to create my own background paper. I then followed the pattern in our How To Program Book Make it From Your Heart Vol 2. I love these go to books for layout ideas! I have also used the lovely sparkly Green Shimmer Trim.

My primary Motif is from C1643 Stuck on You. Using the same colours I pre painted some watercolour paper, stamped the images with Tuxedo Black Ink (A favourite because it is so vibrant) and cut them out with Stuck on you  Thincuts.Z3200 The pots I stamped using Autumn Terracotta. I have assembled them with 3d Foam Tape Z1151 for dimension.

One of the sentiment to reflect my feelings about the photos on the page is from Stuck on You, the other is from one of my Go To Scrapooking stamp sets D1482 Love Life. This is an extremely versatile stamp set with swirls, hearts, textures, stars, swirls and a flower. Take a look, I think you will love it if you pop it into your go to scrapbooking sets!

Of course we also need a title. Our Alphabet stamps are my prized possessions. No more missing out on a specific colour or style of a letter! It has taken me some time to build up my collection but with Stampaganza you can get your E size stamp sets free too (provided your other two stamp sets are also E sized)  While you are reviewing your stamp collection keep in mind this is an opportunity to buy the more expensive stamp set you want as you can get a stamp of any size the same or lower for free as a third set. Bonus!I have used Handwritten Print for this title E1030

Under the title is also a stamp of texture from another of my go to scrapbooking stamp sets. You may not have seen or noticed this one, but it is available to view online  All the Details D1555. This is one of my essential sets for scrapbook pages. Take some time to look through the stamp sets online….they are not all printed in your bible! Be sure to chat with your consultant today to make the most of this special offer and get your Free Stamp sets!

 

Stampganza is only Available for March!  There is also a new release stamp set that became available just yesterday! Contact your consultant to find out more about ‘Hello Paradise’!

If you do not have a consultant please contact me or place an order here for delivery right to your door.

I’d love you to leave a comment before heading off to the next stop,Tanya Armitage-   Happy Papercrafting

Product List

C1643 Stuck on You

Stuck on you  Thincuts.Z3200

D1482 Love Life

3d Foam Tape Z1151

Handwritten Print E1030

All the Details D1555.

Water colour paper z3146

Water colour Paint z3132

Watercolour Brushes Z3188

Enchantment Fundamentals Paper Z3126

Sorbet B and T NLA

Make it From Your Heart Vol 2 9042

Australasian Blog Hop – Playful Penelope

 

Hello (I am glad to be back) and welcome aboard our Penelope Australasian Close to My Heart Blog Hop. If you have arrived here from Meryl Cheetham – Mez’s Craft Room then you are in the right place.  If you landed here by accident, no problem, please join in by following the link at the end of this post. 

Today I would like to share with you a creation which features Close To My Heart’s Penelope Workshop Your Way paper kit. 

Penelope Workshop Your Way Kit

Penelope is pretty and playful, and offers loads of options by following the patterns provided on your consultants online store or through other ideas such as the one that follows. This one has come from pondering on what I could make from the leftovers! There is very little left now but what I do have will make pretty cards.

This is using the pieces I had left of the Penelope Workshop your way kit after making 6 doblepage layouts and 4 cards. I have a couple of embellishments left. I have used some other green for the background from Kaleidescope – but any green would have worked.

 

 

I loved using my scraps up. I also love seeing what others do. This collections suits so many Fun filled happy smiley days. I have a fellow consultant Kristy who created this layout. I really think we need to encourage her to blog as she does some wonderful designs too.  She has incorporated the current stamp of the month in the design and focussed on using strips of her scraps.

 

This exclusive Paper collection is only available during until April 31st 2016. Once we reach the end of Seasonal Expressions 2 it will retire.

• This Workshop Your Way G1106 collection  can be yours for just $41. Individual components can be ordered from your CTMH consultant
• This offer is available until the end of the current Seasonal Expressions idea book.

If you do not have a consultant please contact me or place an order here The Creative Heart

I’d love you to leave a comment before heading off to the next stop,Maz Wood: Inky Scraper

Thanks for stopping by

Jen

 

 

 

 

Seasonal Expressions 1 New Product Blog Hop 2016

Hello and welcome to the Seasonal Expressions new Product Blog hop. We will be featuring products from the new Seasonal Expressions Catalog.  If you have arrived from Brenda Lapp you are in the right place. The blog hop is a great big circle, so you can start here and work your way all around.  If you get lost along the way, you’ll find the complete list of participating consultants on Melinda’s Blog:  This month we have <number, over or approximately…> Close To My Heart Consultants sharing their creations using new CTMH products on their blogs. This is simple to do – just click on the link at the end of the post on each blog to move to the next one! Here we go!

 

<picture>

<description>

<Products Used: paper, inks, other stamp sets, accessories, etc>

 

Now “Hop” on over to ____’s Blog to see her work! Be sure to visit all the Consultants at their Blogs to get some great crafting ideas and other fun ideas! Remember, the <month> SOTM is only available until <last day of the month>!  Contact your CTMH Consultant (or click here) to see how you can get your hands on the new Seasonal Expressions Idea book or the actual products!

 

Additional info, if needed.

 

Here are some more projects I have made using Products from Deasonal Expressions 1.

(link to other posted projects here)

 

Australasian Live Your Day PML Blog Hop

Welcome to the National Papercrafting Month Live Your Day Blog Hop.If you came from Maz Wood Inky Fingers you are in the right place. If you just joined us hop on and follow the links at the end of the post.

WEEEEEeeeeee!!!!! I am cruising!  Literally! By now I have stopped in Vila, Port Denarau and Suva, and am on my way to Mystery Island and Mare. However, in my excitement and prep I did manage to get just this much done in my planner with my Live your day PML cards. I am not about to miss out on National Papercrafting Month! 

 Live your Day PLM cards are the perfect complement to scrapbook layouts, pocket scrapbooking and of course our lovely new planner! I have mine in use already and had got this all ready before I took off on holidays. It is now ready for awesome pics and notes when I get home:) Of course these pages feature my E-ticket since I prepped them before I left! I have also prepped my card into pockets ready for contributions from my second week. I will complete these pages on my return – I intend to play with colouring books, watercolour and watercolour papers for the trip…the planner is not coming – but if I were on a longer, less itinersied trip (like the one I did in mexico 2014) I would take it.

I have hinged the PML card top my Crush page with Washi Tape which will allow me to add departure reflections and photos on the page. I have already noted which port we are in each day so I can include selfies or happy snaps on my return.

Note I keep my pages cards and tape right by the journal ready for use! I also have the stamper and an ink pad handy:)

 

 

Celebrate National Papercrafting Month with the exclusive Picture My Life™ Live Your Day scrapbooking program—available for one month only! This collection was designed to coordinate perfectly with the sensational Everyday Life™ 2016 Planner Pages and My Crush® Everyday Life Pages, so you can seamlessly integrate pocket scrapbooking into your 2016 planner. Whether in the planner or on their own, these cards make it easy to preserve your everyday moments all year long. Get yours today for only $13.50 AUD / $15.50 NZD before this offer is gone!

Dates: Offer valid 1 January 2016 (9:00 am AEDT)–31 January 2016 (11:59 pm AEDT

Your next stop on the hop is Denise’s Blog, Scrap Stamp Share  Enjoy!

 

I would love to respond to comments once I am back on dry land 😉

Shopping List

Picture My Life™ Live Your Day Scrapbooking Program CC1058

Everyday Life™ Album—Black Z3208

Everyday Life™ 2016 Planner Pages Z3209

Everyday Life™ Washi Tape Z3211

Everyday Life™ Perfect Plan Roller Stamp Z3212