3 x 3 Card Box Using CTMH Florentine Paper

I really wanted to make a cute and delicate box of cards using the new Florentine Paper from CTMH.  I picked up this little 3"x3" box at Walmart for only a couple of dollars, but it's amazing how adding the right paper and some embellishments can turn it into something beautiful!  I will be using this project as a doorprize, so when I made the cards, I was sure to provide for a variety of occasions and to keep the design quite simple.  I used the Art Philosophy cartridge to cut out the papers flowers, flourishes and sentiment piece.  A list of supplies can be found below.

The flourishes (green) were cut using the CTMH Art Philosophy cartridge (Pg. 60, <Font Layer><Tag4> at 1" and 3/4") as well as the sentiment tag (Pg. 53, <Square4> at 2".

These flowers were cut using the Art Philosophy Cartridge (Pg 50, <Flower8> at 1.25" and 1.5").

I included this picture to again stress the importance of distressing your paper edges with ink.

I kept the card layout very simple, but wanted to include sentiments for a variety of occasions.

Have fun creating something beautiful this week!  And I also must mention that I will be entering my first H2H challenge with this project.  Wish me luck!!

Supplies (all are CTMH unless otherwise noted)

Paper:  Garden Green, Florentine Paper Pack (X7153B)
Embellishments:  Pearl Opaques (Z1336), Bohemian Assortment (Z1687)
Paradise Paper Flowers (Z1710), Lace Ribbon (Stampin' Up)
Stamps: Remarkable Wreath (C1473), Wonderful You (W332)
Ink:  Creme Brulee, Garden Green, Sunset
Cartridges:  CTMH Art Philosophy

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April Stamp of the Month

This month features the stamp set You Are . .  (set of 15).  It's retail value if $17.95, but with a $50 purchase, you are able to purchase it for only $5!  This is a fantastic stamp set that works well for both card making and scapbooking!

Dotty for You!

This month also marks the beginning of our Dotty for You Promotion!

Snatch a Dotty for You paper packet at an incredible discount or even FREE!

Celebrate National Scrapbooking Month in May by mixing and matching to your heart’s content with our new Dotty for You paper packet! The trendy patterns on the front of the papers coordinate perfectly with the dots on the reverse side, giving you lots of options for crafting colorful layouts, cards, and other projects. Dotty for You includes 24 specially designed, coordinating B&T Duos^® sheets (2 each of 12 patterns) and an artwork idea insert to get your creative juices flowing.
There are three ways to get this exclusive Dotty for You paper packet, valued at $19.95:

• Place an order of $35 or more in products from the Spring/Summer 2012 Idea Book between April 17 and May 31, and add the Dotty for You paper packet for just $5*.
• Host a Gathering with a sales total of $400 or more (excluding tax, shipping/handling, and Operation Smile^® donations) between April 17 and May 31 and receive a Dotty for You paper packet FREE.
• Join Close To My Heart as a new Consultant between April 1 and May 31 and receive a Dotty for You paper packet FREE.

Gift Card Holders - Quick and Easy! Video Included

When I first saw this idea, I just fell in love with it!  These gift card holders are super easy to make and are a fantastic way to present a gift card.  I love how you can personalize them and change them up depending on who you are giving it too -- much like a card!  Instructions can be found below, dimensions can be dowloaded as a pdf here, but I also created a brief video with instructions (lovin' this little web cam!).  If you have trouble clicking on the youtube video box below, here is the link. 

These are the supplies you will need (pictured below) as well as the dimensions for each of your pieces.

Base: 
4-1/4” by 10”
(scored at 3”, 4”, 5” and 8”)


Patterned Cardstock or Co-ordinating Color:
4 pcs. 2-3/4” by 4”
2 pcs. 1-3/4” by 4”


Band:
1” by 7”
(scored at 2” and 5”)

One of the trickiest (not really difficult at all, but requires a pause and extra thought) is creating the slot for the gift card to go into.  Once you have scored your cardstock and folded it accordingly, be sure to apply your double sided tape to the correct spot as shown below.  This allows you to trim the top of your gift card "mountain" and thus creating the gift card "slot".

 

 Once your tape is on, flip this piece over and push the gift card "mountain" together. 

 

Only the tiniest, little strip needs to be trimmed off the top to create the slot.

 Once all the pieces are assembled, your finished gift card holder should look something like this:

 Here are a few more examples I have recently created.

The sky is the limit here!  Using a variety of embellishments, patterned paper and even corner punches, you can make your gift card holder unique and personalized.  If you have any questions, you can send me an e-mail at mystudiowithaview@gmail.com or comment below.  Have fun!

Cool Tip Tuesday - Making Ink Color Sample Sheets

Wow - what a whirlwind!  My kids were off for Spring Break and blogging definitely seemed to take the back burner!  I can't feel bad about it though because we really made use of their holiday time as they truly relaxed and did what they enjoy. Hopefully, I will be back at it for a while now!

Today's tip is very quick, but I find it to be very valuable.  I find it incredibly helpful to have Ink Color Sample Sheets.  Whenever I acquire new ink, I always add it to my color sample sheets.  I am a highly visual learner and seem to want to SEE everything I have at my disposal.  This doesn't always help when you have limited surface space, so this is a nice compromise!  A video is also included below.

I have included the pdf of the Ink Color Sample Sheet template, so feel free to download and use it.

For those of you that are not familiar with the term "second generation stamping", I will provide a brief explanation.  Second generation stamping is when you stamp an image a second time without re-inking your stamp.  I have included a video below which shows this technique, as well as how I made my ink color sample sheets. 

Quick tip - but as I said, I find it to be very useful and valuable.  Take care!

Sketch Day - Easy Card Layout Idea

When I saw this card sketch at Stamping 411, I knew I had to use it!  I thought it was super simple and you could use different shapes to give it your very own flavour.

As you can see here, I used the same layout, paper and colors, but I changed up the sentiments and embellishments.  The result is three similar, yet unique, cards for three different occasions!  Super easy!!  I simply cut 1-1/2" squares and rounded the opposite corners on each piece - this essentially gives a "flower" effect.  On the first card, I did not sponge the edges of each piece and I believe you can really tell.  The next to were sponged and seem to have much more dimension to them. I have included the supply list below.

Supplies (all are CTMH unless otherwise noted)

Paper:  CTMH White Daisy, MME Darling Dear
Embellishments:  Bitty Sparkles, Clear Sparkles, Sunset Buttons, Rhinestone Designer Brads, Natural Hemp
Stamps: Remarkable Wreath (C1473), Little Reminder (Jan '12 SOTM), Art Philosophy (comes with cartridge)
Ink:  Sunset

Cool Tip Tuesday - Putting Your Cricut Cartridge Handbooks on your iPad, iPod or iPhone

I did up a little instructional video on how to put pdf versions of all your Cricut Cartridge handbooks on your iPad.  The process will also work with your iPhone or iPod.  I like to browse the handbooks to shop for my next cartridge purchase -- the box NEVER does a cartridge any justice!  I also like to flip through my handbooks while we are travelling so I can re-acquaint myself with the images I have, and plan my next layout.  I know, I am a die-hard :)

If the link above does not work for you, you can try here:

Video - Putting Your Cricut Cartridge Handbooks on Your iPad, iPhone or iPod

As I am new the video process, please excuse my lighting (and any glare), as well as my overuse of "ummm".  I'll try my best to get better at this!

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April Stamp of the Month

This month features the stamp set You Are . .  (set of 15).  It's retail value if $17.95, but with a $50 purchase, you are able to purchase it for only $5!  This is a fantastic stamp set that works well for both card making and scapbooking!

This month also marks the beginning of our Dotty for You Promotion!

Dotty for You!

Snatch a Dotty for You paper packet at an incredible discount or even FREE!

Celebrate National Scrapbooking Month in May by mixing and matching to your heart’s content with our new Dotty for You paper packet! The trendy patterns on the front of the papers coordinate perfectly with the dots on the reverse side, giving you lots of options for crafting colorful layouts, cards, and other projects. Dotty for You includes 24 specially designed, coordinating B&T Duos^® sheets (2 each of 12 patterns) and an artwork idea insert to get your creative juices flowing.
There are three ways to get this exclusive Dotty for You paper packet, valued at $19.95:

• Place an order of $35 or more in products from the Spring/Summer 2012 Idea Book between April 17 and May 31, and add the Dotty for You paper packet for just $5*.
• Host a Gathering with a sales total of $400 or more (excluding tax, shipping/handling, and Operation Smile^® donations) between April 17 and May 31 and receive a Dotty for You paper packet FREE.
• Join Close To My Heart as a new Consultant between April 1 and May 31 and receive a Dotty for You paper packet FREE.

Mini-Banner using Lucy Workshop on the Go Kit

When I first saw the Lucy Workshop on the Go, I instantly thought of my daughter, Emily.  The patterns are so feminine and cheery!  This idea for a banner was perfect for her, and I knew she would love it.

If you are not familiar with Workshop on the Go kits offered by Close to my Heart,  they are a quick and easy way to get a couple of layouts done, in addition to a "bonus project".  Each Workshop on the Go (or WOTG) includes a themed paper pack (which includes patterned paper and solid paper), a co-ordinating stamp set, a set of complemetary embellishments (could be stickers, rub-ons, sparkles, chipboards, buttons, etc. depending on the kit) and an instructional brochure for completing two - two page layouts.  The directions include the layout template, a cutting guide, as well as step-by-step instructions.  After you have completed the two layout ideas included in the Workshop of the Go, there is a suggested bonus project that can be made from the leftover scraps (additional items may be required).

This particular banner is the bonus project suggested for the Lucy Workshop on the Go kit.  In addition to the kit, you also need the Bitty Buds assortment (small flower embellishments) and the My Creations Mini Banner (chipboard banner).  It's also handy to have the CTMH Art Philosophy Cartridge so you are able to cut all the shapes with the push of a button!  I used creme colored ribbon (instead of the included "jump rings") to string together each piece of the banner.  It was super easy and I am delighted with the results -- so is Emily!

I have included the next picture because it truly shows the value of "inking your edges".  I use a sponge tapped on an ink pad.  You can also use sponge daubers, or the ink pad directly.  This picture shows you the dimension it adds to a piece, and gives it a "finished" look - so worth the extra time and effort!

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April Stamp of the Month

This month features the stamp set You Are . .  (set of 15).  It's retail value if $17.95, but with a $50 purchase, you are able to purchase it for only $5!  This is a fantastic stamp set that works well for both card making and scapbooking!

This month also marks the beginning of our Dotty for You Promotion!

Dotty for You!

Snatch a Dotty for You paper packet at an incredible discount or even FREE!

Celebrate National Scrapbooking Month in May by mixing and matching to your heart’s content with our new Dotty for You paper packet! The trendy patterns on the front of the papers coordinate perfectly with the dots on the reverse side, giving you lots of options for crafting colorful layouts, cards, and other projects. Dotty for You includes 24 specially designed, coordinating B&T Duos^® sheets (2 each of 12 patterns) and an artwork idea insert to get your creative juices flowing.
There are three ways to get this exclusive Dotty for You paper packet, valued at $19.95:

• Place an order of $35 or more in products from the Spring/Summer 2012 Idea Book between April 17 and May 31, and add the Dotty for You paper packet for just $5*.
• Host a Gathering with a sales total of $400 or more (excluding tax, shipping/handling, and Operation Smile^® donations) between April 17 and May 31 and receive a Dotty for You paper packet FREE.
• Join Close To My Heart as a new Consultant between April 1 and May 31 and receive a Dotty for You paper packet FREE.

Take the Plunge! Give Digital Scrapbooking a try!

I'm a "get your hands dirty" type of girl.  I take pride in getting deeply involved in whatever I am working on -- definitely not afraid to get my hands a little dirty!  I think this is why I love paper crafting so much.  I am able to make a big mess with my supplies, and emerge with a beautiful page or card!  I think this is also why I was a little hesitant to give digital scrapbooking a try.

I had tried a few pieces of software and grappled with where I was going to print my pages off.  Nothing seemed to really impress me.  Just recently I thought I would take another kick at the can and give Close to my Heart's Studio J a try.  WOW! I was pleasantly surprised!!  The software was very easy to use, there was a tonne of different layout ideas, all the creative options (such as journalling, adding embellishments, distressing the edges of paper or photos) were at my disposal, uploading photos was quick and easy, ordering was a snap and the list goes on and on!  I did five layouts in no time at all!  I was really impressed with the layout options -- you cans use up to 15 photos in a layout!

I was thoroughly impressed as I worked through creating my pages.  They all came together very quickly.  However, the real kicker was when I received my printed layouts in the mail. The shipping was quick and the layouts were of amazing quality.  I just can't seem to find enough synonyms for "fantastic"!  All I can say is that the Studio J software truly delivered and was true to the promise - faster, simpler, easier.

You can try the Studio J software for FREE -- no obligation to purchase.  Go to the Studio J website and set up a user account -- then get started trying things out!  You only have to pay if you want to have your layouts printed.  This would give you an idea of how the software works -- I guarantee you will be impressed.  

I have included a few of my own layouts below.  Of course, when you print them off, there is not white border or Studio J logo.  They are true 12x12.  The quality is superb and they even include the sheet protectors! 

Take the plunge -- give it a try!

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April Stamp of the Month

This month features the stamp set You Are . .  (set of 15).  It's retail value if $17.95, but with a $50 purchase, you are able to purchase it for only $5!  This is a fantastic stamp set that works well for both card making and scapbooking!

This month also marks the beginning of our Dotty for You Promotion!

Dotty for You!

Snatch a Dotty for You paper packet at an incredible discount or even FREE!

Celebrate National Scrapbooking Month in May by mixing and matching to your heart’s content with our new Dotty for You paper packet! The trendy patterns on the front of the papers coordinate perfectly with the dots on the reverse side, giving you lots of options for crafting colorful layouts, cards, and other projects. Dotty for You includes 24 specially designed, coordinating B&T Duos^® sheets (2 each of 12 patterns) and an artwork idea insert to get your creative juices flowing.
There are three ways to get this exclusive Dotty for You paper packet, valued at $19.95:

• Place an order of $35 or more in products from the Spring/Summer 2012 Idea Book between April 17 and May 31, and add the Dotty for You paper packet for just $5*.
• Host a Gathering with a sales total of $400 or more (excluding tax, shipping/handling, and Operation Smile^® donations) between April 17 and May 31 and receive a Dotty for You paper packet FREE.
• Join Close To My Heart as a new Consultant between April 1 and May 31 and receive a Dotty for You paper packet FREE.

Sweet Cricut Baby Card Using Lucy Paper

A friend of mine recently had a little baby girl and putting a card together was LONG overdue!  Their new little sweetie is named Jane, and I especially love to personalize baby cards.  It was amazing how quickly this baby card came together.  I reached for one of my favorite cartridges for "fun" images - Create a Critter, as well as my tried and true CTMH Art Philosophy cartridge.  The fawn is cut from Create a Critter cartridge, and the border and sentiment shape is cut from the CTMH Art Philosophy cartridge.  Supply details can be found below.

Supplies (all are CTMH unless otherwise noted)

Paper:  Creme Brulee, Sweet Leaf, Lucy (X7149B)
Embellishments:  Bitty Opaques (Z1707),
Flutter Paper Shapes (Z1709), Scrapper's Floss (Karen Foster)
Stamps: Trinity Alphabet (E1021)
Ink:  Creme Brulee, Blush, Sweet Leaf
Cartridges:  Cricut Create-a-Critter, CTMH Art Philosophy

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April Stamp of the Month

This month features the stamp set You Are . .  (set of 15).  It's retail value if $17.95, but with a $50 purchase, you are able to purchase it for only $5!  This is a fantastic stamp set that works well for both card making and scapbooking!

This month also marks the beginning of our Dotty for You Promotion!

Dotty for You!

Snatch a Dotty for You paper packet at an incredible discount or even FREE!

Celebrate National Scrapbooking Month in May by mixing and matching to your heart’s content with our new Dotty for You paper packet! The trendy patterns on the front of the papers coordinate perfectly with the dots on the reverse side, giving you lots of options for crafting colorful layouts, cards, and other projects. Dotty for You includes 24 specially designed, coordinating B&T Duos^® sheets (2 each of 12 patterns) and an artwork idea insert to get your creative juices flowing.
There are three ways to get this exclusive Dotty for You paper packet, valued at $19.95:

• Place an order of $35 or more in products from the Spring/Summer 2012 Idea Book between April 17 and May 31, and add the Dotty for You paper packet for just $5*.
• Host a Gathering with a sales total of $400 or more (excluding tax, shipping/handling, and Operation Smile^® donations) between April 17 and May 31 and receive a Dotty for You paper packet FREE.
• Join Close To My Heart as a new Consultant between April 1 and May 31 and receive a Dotty for You paper packet FREE.