New Blog..................

Hi to my paper playing friends.............

Just wanted you to know that I have set up a new blog that will focus exclusively on Close To My Heart.  That was my intent with this blog but it seems that I got sidetracked, which is fine, but wanted to get back to promoting the wonderful Close To My Heart products.  This blog will continue to be my "challenge" blog because I love participating in the challenges.  They keep my creative juices flowing and give me wonderful inspiration found in the creations of others.

I hope you will check out the new blog:   Karen's Creating With Paper World the Close To My Heart journey.

Take Care of YOU!
Karen

More challenges then pages...............................

I have been busy discovering scrap-booking layout and card making challenges the past few weeks and I LOVE doing them.

You can check out the different challenges by clicking on the pages listed in the right hand column.  I decided to add one more challenge I discovered today but have to post it on my main page because I have created as many pages as this blog system will allow.

The new challenge site is:  Color My Heart Color Dare.  <- click here to learn more.  It is a site that encourages the use of Close To My Heart products - YA! and challenges are based on using a particular color or combination of colors from the Close To My Heart pallet.   You can make any kind of paper product as long as you use the challenge colors.

The challenge this week is to use the color Juniper.  

Here is my interpretation of the challenge:

Close To My Heart products used:

• white cardstock - cardbase is 5 1/2 X 4 1/4 inches
• juniper cardstock
• juniper ink
• slate ink
• Fabulous You stamp set - C1533
• A Garden stamp set - A1119
• Just for You stamp set - B1398
• small bling gem from the Boutique Collection

Thanks for stopping by and taking a look.  Please leave a comment so I know you were here. Thanks!

If you like what you see you can follow me by clicking on the follow button in the left hand column and get a heads-up when I make a post.

Take Care of YOU!

Kare

BUZZING with good wishes.....

Hi scrappin' friends.........

I have been wanting to create a card with the Close To My Heart "Buzz and Bumble" paper and today I did it!

Materials used:

• printed papers from the Buzz and Bumble paper pack - Workshops on the Go
• plain cardstock colors: Champagne and Cocoa
• flowers were done with the stamp set included with the Buzz and Bumble Workshops on the Go
• the large focal stamp is "Buzzing with good news" from Close To My Heart
• Elmer's permanent dot tape runner
• Glitter Dusttm - iridescent
• white cardstock Close To My Heart
• Threading Water Fiskers boarder punch
• 6 inches of brown satin ribbon
• Cuddlebug swiss dot folder
• General's watercolor pencils

The base of the card is 5 1/2 X 4 1/4 inches.  Champagne cardstock was cut to 5 3/8 X 4 1/8 inches and embossed with the swiss dot folder and then sanded.  Three coordinating papers from the "Buzz and Bumble" paper was cut 2 X 5 3/8 inches and punched with the "Threading Water" boarder punch.   The "Buzzing with good wishes" was stamped on a 3 1/4 X 2 7/8 inch of honey comb paper from the same packet and then layered on a 3 1/2 X 3 1/4 piece of cocoa cardstock.  I sanded the edges of the cocoa cardstock.  I stamped the flowers on Champagne cardstock and then "painted" them with the orange and yellow pencils using the Close To My Heart water pen to blend.  I then fussy cut them out, rolled the edges around a pencil and then sprayed with the Glitter Dust.  I then assembled the card as shown in the picture.

Like the papers and stamps?  Click here to order:  Close To My Heart 

Thanks for stopping by............Please leave a comment or question.........I would love to know you were here!

Take Care of YOU!

Karen

Challenges and Easter card.........................

Hi to my scrappin' friends.............

I have been busy making cards and completing scrapbook pages for a variety of challenges.  I hope you take a look at the pages for each of the challenges.  They are listed just to the right of this post.

Today I want to share an Easter card I completed today.

The card base is 5 1/2 X 4 1/4 inches.  The embossed layer is 5 3/8 X 4 1/8 inch.  I first embossed the layer with the swiss dot cuddlebug folder and then with a butterfly Sissix folder.  Edges were sanded to smooth and then attached to the card front.  

The oval, oval frame and the butterflies were cut using the Art Philosophy cricut cartridge from Close To My Heart.  The bunny stamp is from the "Sensational" stamp set from Close To My Heart (no longer available).  I used General's Kimberly watercolor pencils to color the bunny and butterflies.  I coated the butterflies and the oval frame with Glitz Glitter Gel from Close To My Heart. The layers were adhered using Elmer's permanent dot tape runner.  The sentiment inside is a simple "Happy Easter".  The pink swiss dot ribbon is from the Really Reasonable Ribbon "Ribbon Club".  The bow is adhered with a mini glue dot from Elmer's. 

This was a fun card to make.  It did go through a couple of transformations before I came up with the card that suited me.  

Thanks for stopping by.

Please leave a comment or ask a question.  I would love to know that you stopped by!

Take Care of YOU!

Karen.

Fresh off the press......a beautiful 'Pregnancy mini"

I hope everyone is having a great beginning to the weekend.................

Here is my latest mini, a "Pregnancy Album" to record the months, weeks and days up to the big event AND pages for the day of the delivery, of the newborn and the family.

 This is what I started with, a 5X7 photo album from WalMart.  It has white plastic dividers in each pocket to separate the pages.  It makes it easy to pull-out and return the pages to the album.

 Cover:  I made the flowers using the Art Philosophy cricut cartridge (exclusive from Close To My Heart) and Close To My Heart cardstock - cranberry and goldrush. - leaves are "topiary".  The white flower is made from coffee filters.  It is sprayed with iridescent "Glitter Dust" tm  The sentiment states:  "because I never want to forget" - a Close To My Heart stamp from the "He Said, She Said" set.   Other embellishments:  ribbon from Really Reasonable Ribbon; buttons, sparkles and flourish are  from Close To My Heart; Butterfly from JoAnn's.  The background paper is from Colorbok, "Spring Morning" collection.     

The first set of pages:  Sentiment:  "These Are The Days of Miracle and Wonder" paul simon. Papers: "Dotty for You" collection from Close To My Heart.  The sentiment on the second page reads: " best day ever".

 The next set of pages provide a place for a picture of the parents to be and to journal.  The embellishments are adhered to the outside of the plastic sleeve.  The same design of the journal page is on the back of most of the pages so that the mother-to-be can pull out the page and journal on the back of each page or post more pictures.

Pages five provides a small pocket and a tag to record the first ultrasound.  Larger pictures of the ultrasound can be slipped into the page pocket. The sentiment states:  "a picture is worth a thousand words".  Page six is a space to record the first baby-bump picture.

  The next pages are for journaling and for more pictures of the growing "baby-bump"  The green swiss dot bow is tied around a tri-fold that can hold several more pictures.  On the bottom of the same page it sates: "butterfly kicks"  It's hard to see because it's yellow-on-yellow. 

Page nine provides a place to write down the names that the parents-to-be are considering and page ten more journaling space.

 More journaling and a clock indicating that time is going by and the new baby will be here soon.

 Decorating the nursery or a space for the baby is the theme of these pages.  Lots of space for pictures and journaling.

 These pages provide space for baby shower(s).  The top of the umbrella is open so the invitation and a copy of the thank you can be inserted if wanted.  Again, there is lots of space on the back of these pages for more pictures and journaling.

 This set of pages provide more space for recording baby showers or other gifts for the baby.

 Here is an opportunity for the parents-to-be to write a "love note" to the baby in a card.  

 These pages provide space for pictures of the delivery and journaling of the "big event".

 Here is space for pictures of the new arrival.

The sentiment on the tag reads:  "welcome little one".

  A family photo with the new addition.

The sentiment on the back page reads:  "You hold a special place forever in my heart".

 

Back cover.

I LOVED making this mini............

Thanks for taking a look.   PLEASE leave a comment or question so I know you were here.

Take Care of YOU!

Karen

Monochromatic Get Well Card.........................

The blizzard has passed and today is sunny with crystal blue skies..............but cold.   The thought of spring being right around the corner helps chase the chills away.  

Today's card is a "get well soon" card I created using "Heavenly Blue" and black.  It has a "spring" feeling to it with a very sweet bird design from Close To My Heart.

                                   

                        :

SUPPLIES:

• White cardstock base 5 1/2 X  4/1/4 inches
• White cardstock cut to: 3 X 5 3/8 inches; 2 7/8 X 2 7/8 inches; 2 5/8 X 2 5/8 inches
• Close To My Heart Heavenly Blue Ink Pad 
• Close To My Heart Black Ink Pad
• Heavenly blue cardstock - 3X3 inches  -  Close To My Heart
• Close To My Heart "Fabulous You Seasons &  Nature" stamp set
• Get Well Soon LAD-80 stamp set from Gourmet rubber stamps
• Secret Garden Stamp Set by TPC Studio   (I purchased this stamp at JoAnn's on sale.  I checked for a wedsite for the company and nothing has been posted for over a year and I found nothing on JoAnn's website under this company name.)
• The floral postage sized stamp is also from the same company and I don't have the original packaging so can't tell you the name of the set.  There are over 17 stamps in the set.
• 6 inches - White lace from Really Reasonable Ribbon -  Ribbon Club       
• 30 inches - Diamond Satin Mineral Ice Satin Ribbon from Really Reasonable Ribbon - Ribbon Club
• small paper doily - JoAnn's
• Cuddlebug "Birds and Swirls" embossing folder
• Sparkles - blue/green assortment - Close To My Heart
• Opaques - Licorice - Close To My Heart 
• "Threading Water" edge punch by Fiskers
• Art Philosophy Cricut Cartridge exclusive product from Close To My Heart
• Foam mounting squares - small
• Elmer's Glue dots - medium

Directions:

1. Punch the front edge of the card using the Threading Water edge punch by Fiskers.  
2. Rub the Heavenly Blue ink pad across the flat surface of the "Birds and Twirls" embossing folder - cover well.
3. Place 3 X 5 3/8 inch cardstock in folder and emboss.  This will create the blue background.  
4. Cut a 4 inch length off the paper doily leaving enough of the doily to wrap around embossed cardstock.  Adhere using adhesive of choice.  (I used Elmer's dot tape runner). 
5. Add the white lace to the front edge of the embossed piece.  Again I used the Elmer's dot tape runner and ran a thin edge of tape along the edge and to adhere the ends to the back.
6. Brush and pounce Heavenly  Blue stamp pad over the 2 5/8 X 2 5/8  cardstock.  Leave some of the white showing through.
7. Stamp the "Fabulous You..." stamp over the blue using the black ink.
8. Smooth edges of the small pieces of the cardstock to ensure the edges are smooth.  I use the sanding block from Close To My Heart sanding kit.
9. Layer the stamped image on the white and then blue cardstock, as shown.
10. Adhere the layers to the embossed piece at a slight angle.
11. Add the Licorice Opaques as shown.
12. Using black ink stamp the small floral image on white cardstock and cut out.
13. Adhere the embossed piece to the card base.
14. Adhere the small floral image using the mounting foam
15. Add blue Sparkles
16. Fold the blue satin ribbon in two and tie a bow.  Pull the bow apart to show all of the loops.  Trim the ends.
17. Adhere the bow to the card using glue dots.

Inside:

1. Cut a 2 inch scalloped square using the Art Philosophy cricut cartridge
2. Ink edges with Heavenly Blue ink
3. Stamp the Get Well Soon sentiment on the square
4. Adhere the square to the inside of the card. 
5. Cover the sentiment and stamp with the flower from the Secret Garden stamp set with black ink..  (I hadn't decided how I was going to apply the stamp so stamped it after I had adhered the sentiment.  You could do the stamp first and then adhere the sentiment - which would be easier ;-)  )

WHEW!   That's how I created this beautiful card.

I hope this gives you some ideas, resources and inspiration to create your own monochromatic card for whatever occasion you want.

Please leave a comment or question so I know you stopped by.  Thanks!

Take Care of YOU!

Karen

Blizzard Warning........................

Good Monday Morning from Southern Minnesota.  It is snowing and we are under a blizzard warning today sooooooooooo.....it's a good day to spend indoors doing what I love - creating with paper!

I got out of the craft-room this weekend and participated in the Spring Craft Show at the Northbridge Mall in my home town of Albert Lea Minnesota.  I loved being able to share what I have created and meeting fellow crafters.

Today I want to share some simple projects I put together for Easter (or they could even be used as favors for a baby shower ;-) )

This is a simple candy-bar wrapper.  I cut a piece of cardstock to 6X6 inches and scored it at 1 1/2" and 3 7/8 inches.  I then wrapped it around a regular size Hershey chocolate bar and adhered it with glue dot runner tape. (I also run some adhesive along the candy-bar so the wrapper wouldn't slip off.)  The bunny face was cut with the Doodlecharm cricut cartridge at 2 1/2 " and a shadow out of a contrasting color of cardstock.  I stamped a heart shape over the nose and then traced the heart with black color pencil.  I also traced the mouth and added the whiskers with the pencil.  The cheeks and ears were brushed with 

Blush ink by Close To My Heart using a cotton swap.  The face was adhered to the shadow using glue dots and then added to the front of the candy-bar.  A ribbon was then tied around the bar.  I also tucked a scalloped medallion in the ribbon on the back so the giver could add a note if they wished.

  

In this project I used the same bunny "cutouts" but adhered them to a "Saf-T" sucker.  The face on the front of the sucker and the shadow to the back.  I used a dot tape runner.  I then added a bow.

Again, I used the same bunny "cutouts" but added them to a round chocolate crispy candy.

And, finally I added them to treat bags filled with pastel jelly beans.

Did you get inspired to create your own special Easter treats?  Let me know by leaving a comment.  I would love to hear what personal touches you are adding to your holiday.  

Thanks for stopping by!

Take Care of YOU!

Karen

Craft Show ..............................

This post will be short and (hopefully) sweet.  I am busy packing up my created treasures and getting ready to participate in a local craft show at the Northbridge Mall in Albert Lea, MN.  I am excited to get going so here is my post for today.............

I created all of these cards using the same technique....

The card bases are 5 1/2 X 4 1/4 inches.  On each card I applied a printed paper and then a solid color cardstock.  Before applying the cardstock piece I hand-stamped a flower in black ink and then heat embossed them with clear embossing powder.

I then took a piece of the same printed paper and hand-stamped the same flower again in black and heat embossing them.  

I then fussy cut the flowers and applied them to the cardstock arranging them over the flowers I had stamped.  I then applied the cardstock to the printed paper, added a ribbon. and applied the piece to the card base.

Thank you for stopping by and taking a look.  Please let me know you were here by leaving a comment or question...........Thanks!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Take Care of YOU!

Karen

Good Morning............................

The sun is shinning in southern Minnesota, at least my part of southern Minnesota, and the skies are a beautiful blue!  Gives me a new spark of energy!  Hope you are busy doing what you love and that at some point today you will have time to preserve some memories or send a card to acknowledge a special event or "just because".

The project I want to share with you today is a baby girl "Baby Book" that I completed recently.  I hope you take a look and PLEASE leave a comment or question so I know you stopped by............THANKS.

I used some nontraditional colors for this baby book.  The papers are from the Clementine paper packet from Close To My Heart.  

These are the first two pages.  Page one has a tag that can be a note from the giver if a gift or can be a place to write the statistics of the baby when born.  The facing page has an accordion tag holder that holds plan white tags that have "sweet" words stamped at the top of each tag.  Tags can be used for pictures or journaling.

The second set of pages consist of a spot to journal and a sentiment.  The facing page has a large picture frame and behind it is tucked a tag.  The tag is pictured below.

The third set of pages have cute diapers that are cut using the Artiste Cricut Cartridge exclusively from 

Close To My Heart.    In each diaper is a set of photo or spots to journal.  There are enough tags to note accomplishments for each month of the first year.  Tags are pictured below.  They are, again, very simple and provide lots of space.

(I really do need to get a better camera the colors in this photo do not do the book or the papers justice!)

This next set of pages consist of a large pocket that holds several tags (see below).  On the front of the pocket is a small frame and tucked behind the frame is another tag.  On the facing page is a "mini-album in a mini-album".  (See below.)

Mini-album inside of a mini-album.  Again very simple clean pages to use for photos or to journal.  The pages alternate between the white and brown.

The final set of pages consist of a large photo frame that is embellished with lots of flowers and bling and another large tag holder (see close-up below).  I don't have pictures of these tags but they are plain white and embossed with a cuddlebug folder across the top.  Fun little metal tabs are attached to the top of each tag.

 The back of the album is decorated as well.

I usually try to make a box for my albums and this is what I created for this mini.  I started with a cardboard box covering it with white cardstock that I had embossed with a cuddlebug folder.  I made the cover from "scratch".  All of the flowers were stamped, heat embossed and fussy cut.  

I added the "banding" to make it look like a chest with leather straps.  I applied VersaMark watermark medium and clear embossing powder to help make the leather effect.

Thanks for stopping by and taking a look.  I hope this inspires you to create something special just for you or for a special someone!

 Please let me know you stopped by - leave a comment or question.  Thanks!

Take Care of YOU!

Karen

My, OH My, How Time Flies............................

I can't believe I haven't posted since August!  Where does the time go!?   

The last time I posted it was warm and the grass was green.  Now there are several inches of snow and the temps are in the 20's.  I am looking forward to spring.  Which according to the calendar is only a few days away but I think 'mother nature' will probably have more to say about when it actually arrives..  Oh well, I have been around long enough to know that it will eventually arrive and it will be most welcomed.

I have been busy during the intervening months and am anxious to share what I have been creating.   So during the next few days I will be posting some of the projects I have completed and some that are still in process.  I hope they will inspire you to create something special for yourself or for someone you love.  

Please leave a comment so I know you stopped by.  I would love to know what you like about my projects and to answer any questions you might have about how I completed them.  

So here goes:  Embellished picture frames............................

This picture frame is embellished with flowers made from cardstock.  I used my Artiste Cricut cartridge from Close To My Heart to cut the flowers and hand rolled them.  I added beads to the centers of some of the flowers.  The decorative pins were created by using colored straight pins and adding beads.  The "ivory" heart was a button that I removed the back from to attach to the frame. 

 Behind the flowers is a decorative "L" shaped leafy scroll on which the flowers are attached.  The scroll was cut with the Art Philosophy Cricut cartridge from Close To My Heart.  The embellishments were attached with liquid glass.  The matt was embossed with a Cuttlebug folder and then sanded to bring out the design.  An oval was cut in the center.  A matt of white was also cut to contrast with the green and create a "frame" oval.  A piece of green swiss dot paper (also Close To My Heart) was added to attach the photo too if desired.   A piece of lace is arranged diagonally over the upper left corner and attached with glue dots on the back.

 This metal frame has been embellished with a single large rossette which is setting on a wooden "flower"  Again the flower's center is set with a bead.  The upper left corner has a wooden dragonfly with a small rossette sitting on it's back.  The matt is pale yellow (which is hard to see in this photo) and embossed with the Cuddlebug swiss dot folder.  The lower right hand corner has a lacy embellishment cut from the Art Philosophy Cricut cartridge.  A green swiss dot paper is provided for attaching the photo if desired. 

I hope this sparks your imagination and leads you take a simple item and give it your own distinctive twist.

Take Care of YOU!

Karen