FAQ

Come on over and get to know Close to My Heart!

This page is a bit of the technical and beautiful details of the Close to My Heart product line!

Close to My Heart was created by Jeanette Lynton as her scrapbooking product line that would accompany her stamping company D.O.T.S.  After about a year the two lines were merged together and the stamping & scrapbooking lines were unified as Close to My Heart.

Do you have to stamp on a scrapbook layout to make it complete?
No.  We have embellishments flat sticker & dimensionals complete your layout.  We sell alpha stickers and 3 Cricut Cartridges to inspire your creativity.  No ink or stamps are required.

What is B&T paper and B&T Duos® paper?  Click here to view
The term “B&T” stands for “Background and Texture,” and the full product name is “Background and Texture Duos paper,” or B&T Duos® paper. The B&T papers offered by Close To My Heart are cardstock-weight papers that have a different pattern or design printed on each side. B&T Duos papers are typically used for page accents and embellishing, but can also be used as a base page of layouts. There are B&T Duos papers included in every My Reflections® paper packet offered by Close To My Heart.

What is included in a My Reflections® paper pack?  
There are 6 double sided B&T sheets, 2 of each sheet and 6 coordinating cardstock included in each My Reflections® Paper Pack.  The B&T sheets are 12x12 1/2".  In the image below you will notice a decorative zip strip that is to be trimmed off before use.  It also contains the product name and color information.  When the zip strip is removed you can use it to embellish your layout.  The paper will then be a true 12"x12."


What is MyStickease®?
They are quality acid-free adhesive sheets that coordinate with a paper packet.



What is the weight of our papers and cardstock?
My Reflections® B&T Duos® papers: 100 lb. (accent opaque text weight)
Colored Cardstock: 65 lb. (cover weight)
Colonial White and White Daisy Cardstock: 80 lb. (cover weight)
Kraft Cardstock: 74 lb. (cover weight)

Are Close To My Heart papers non-toxic?
Yes. Our papers do not pose a physical hazard or health risk when used as intended. They are not intended for human consumption.

What does acid-free, lignin-free, and buffered mean and which Close To My Heart products fit under these categories?
Any items listed in the Idea Book with a “heart” symbol next to the name are acid-free, items listed with a “droplet” symbol are lignin free, and items listed with the “folded ribbon” symbol are buffered. Though Close To My Heart albums are not acid-free, the liner on the inside of the albums is acid-free and lignin-free to protect your photos and layouts.

Here is a definition of each term, according to the Scrapbook Preservation Society: (http://www.scrapbookpreservationsociety.com/):

Acid-free: A material is “acid-free” if it has been tested and proven to have a pH of 7 or above. This indicates that the material contains no mobile or available acid ions for chemical reactions. Being “acid-free” does not imply that the material is long-lasting or scrapbook safe.

Lignin-free: Lignin is the binding material in plants that gives them their strength and rigidity. Paper that contains lignin, such as newsprint, will turn yellow quickly when exposed to light, heat, and humidity. Lignin will degrade paper (causing discoloration and brittleness) and photographs (causing staining, fading, mirroring, and spotting). Paper products are considered “lignin-free” if they have a lignin content of 1% or less.

Buffered: The term “buffered” is commonly used in the paper industry to indicate that an alkaline substance (called a “buffer” or the “alkaline reserve”) has been added to a material during the papermaking process to offset any acid that is present or that the material may come in contact with later. Buffers control the pH of a material over an extended time. Common buffers for paper and adhesives are magnesium carbonate and calcium carbonate. Buffers are added during the manufacturing process for a product or can be added later by consumers using a de-acidification spray.

What material are our page protectors made out of?
Polypropylene.  They do not contain PVC.

What are the Close To My Heart Cricut® collections?
Close To My Heart has created cartridges so that you can cut Close To My Heart images using your Cricut® electronic die-cutting machine. Each Cricut® collection comes with a cartridge with 700 images plus three exclusive My Acrylix® D-size stamp sets, and three 12" × 9" sheets of coordinating Dimensional Elements chipboard shapes. Close To My Heart currently offers three Cricut® collections:

Art Philosophy
This collection is brimming with versatile, foundational shapes. Basic squares, circles, flowers, and fonts from this collection can be used on any papercrafting project.


Artiste
This collection features themed projects, interactive cards, and more. From robots and spooky images to weddings and Valentines, your cupcake liners, invitations, and party favors coordinate and quickly come together for any celebration. Cutting and assembling the many 3-D items is a snap using the project reference book and separate, step-by-step assembly book.

Artbooking
Create complete layouts and mini books using just two keys and one dial size. With 15 themes for creating all the pieces for 12" × 12" layouts and 10 themes for creating mini books, you can celebrate birthdays, new baby, vacations, friends, sorts, Halloween, Christmas, and more.

Artfully Sent
This collection offers hundreds of card options in standard 5" × 7" and 4¼" × 5½" card sizes in a variety of themes. In addition, you will find sleeve cards perfect for housing photos or gift cards and pocket cards that work perfectly in pocket-style memory keeping or as accents.

What is My Crush™?
My Crush™ is a line of books and accessories that can be used for on-the-go memory preservation. It is a safe place to hold everyday memorabilia. With a glue stick, some tape, or a paperclip, you can attach your little things on the printed pages of these handy-sized books and embellish them with the coordinating accessories for quick journaling and accessorizing.

What are the dimensions of the My Crush™ components?
My Crush™ books are 10" × 7" and include 60 printed, cardstock-weight, designed pages. My Crush™ assortments include journal spots of various sizes, 4" × 4" My Stickease® sheets, alphabet sticker sheets, and 2" × 2" envelopes.


How many pages can I put into one My Legacy® album?
Our albums include 1/2" posts that can hold approximately 40 un-embellished pages. If a customer has pages that are embellished, then the amount that can be put into an album will be reduced.

If you would like to be able to fit more pages into an album, then we recommend using the extender posts to increase the carrying capacity. With extender posts, an album will hold 50 to 75 pages.

How do I get my album to lay flat and how do I use a spine expander?
The spine expanders are used to provide more “padding” where the Memory Protectors® hook into your album. For albums that have especially thick pages, this helps to even out the pages inside where the pages are inserted.

Where can I go to find ideas and information on how to use a product?
We offer you and your customers wonderful videos spotlighting scrapbooking, cardmaking, and papercrafting with plenty of fresh ideas and how-to segments. Visit closetomyheart.com under Ideas and Inspiration. You can also click on CTMH TV® to view the web videos that we offer. Additionally, the Idea Books feature “Tips and Techniques” to help inspire you and your customers.

Jeanette Lynton’s blog at www.jeanettelynton.com and the new http://blog.closetomyheart.com/ has some amazing artwork showcased as well. Talk to your Consultant, as they can be a great source of assistance, too.

What is Base & Bling?
Base & Bling is a line of wearable crafting projects with metal bases that you can dress up with fabric, paper, and accessories. Base & Bling is a personalized, affordable, and lightweight fashion option.


What material are the Base & Bling components made out of?
The Base & Bling bases, chains, and jump rings on the charms are made of steel. Base & Bling charms and pendants are made of zinc alloy. They are all lead-free. Item Z2034, faux antiqued gold oval cuff, and the faux antiqued gold pendants and charms contain no nickel. The faux antiqued silver pendants and charms do contain nickel, as well as items Z1940 (faux antiqued silver chain), Z1954 (faux antiqued gold chain), Z1978 (rhinestone charms), and Z2035 (faux antiqued silver oval cuff). Although the soldering is strong, intentional misuse or over-forcing joints where welded can cause the circle bases to break off.

What are the dimensions for the Base & Bling components?
Base & Bling Chain: 30" long with 2" extender and lobster claw clasp
Base & Bling Oval Pendants: 1" × 1⅜" inside dimension
Base & Bling Rectangle Pendants: 1" × 1⅜" inside dimension
Base & Bling Square Pendants: 1" inside dimension
Base & Bling Circle Pendants: 1" inside dimension
Base & Bling Oval Glass Covers: 1" × 1⅜"
Base & Bling Rectangle Glass Covers: 1" × 1⅜"
Base & Bling Square Glass Covers: 1"
Base & Bling Circle Glass Covers: 1"
Base & Bling Charms: Range in height from ⅜" to 1⅜"
Base & Bling Style Sheet stickers: 1" × 1" each
Base & Bling Oval Cuff: 1" × 1⅜" inside dimension
Base & Bling Adhesive Dots: (4) 35 mm, (4) 28 mm, (8) 25 mm, (4) 19 mm
Base & Bling Adhesive Strips: (14) 11 mm and (31) 5 mm wide

What is the best way to adhere paper and accessories to Base & Bling bases?
The best way to adhere paper and non-adhesive-backed accessories to Base & Bling bases is with Base & Bling adhesive dots and Base & Bling adhesive strips. These strips and dots come in sizes to exactly fit the Base & Bling bases. Adhesive-backed accessories can simply adhere directly to the base. Liquid Glass is another sturdy option for adhering but can alter the color of some printed materials, so be sure to test before using on your project.

What is the best way to trim Base & Bling style sheet stickers for the circle pendants?
There are several ways to do this:

Cut out the sticker from the sheet or punch out using our 1" circle punch. Using a glass cover as a template, hold it against the sticker and trim to fit. Remove the adhesive backing from the sticker and press into the pendant, then adhere the glass cover on top, as previously mentioned. We've found this to be the easiest way.

Use the Base & Bling adhesive dots..
The circle pendant has inside dimensions of 1", so a true 1" circle punch should work as long as you really press the sticker into the pendant. You may need to crease it into the corners and up the inside edges a bit. If it goes up on the edge a little, adhering the glass cover with Liquid Glass should seal it so that it’s not noticeable with the cover on top.

What is the best way to adhere Base & Bling glass covers to decorated Base & Bling pendants?
We recommend using Liquid Glass for best results. After your style sheet sticker has already been adhered to the pendant (Base & Bling adhesive dots, Liquid Glass, or Glue Dots™ all work well for this), place a generous amount of Liquid Glass in the center and on top of the sticker, then firmly press the glass cover on top of that. Do not apply the Liquid Glass in stripes or patterns (unless you’re going for that look!), but keep it a big, solid bubble in the middle. Pressing down should spread the Liquid Glass outward and reach the edges, even escape. The spreading of the Liquid Glass to the edges in this manner is a good thing; otherwise, when it dries you see a pattern of adhesive floating on top of your image.

Some excess Liquid Glass will escape, which you should wipe away with damp cloth (baby wipe) while it is wet. Continue to press down on the glass cover for several seconds to seal it tightly to the pendant base. Set it aside for about 15 minutes to allow for the Liquid Glass to dry before doing any more work on the piece (such as threading it through a chain or adding charms).

Do not move or remove the glass cover once you’ve placed it down because doing so will texturize the Liquid Glass. If the paper under the cover is looking bubbled, it might be because the sticker isn’t securely adhered to the pendant. Really pressing the sticker into the corners of the pendants before adding the Liquid Glass will ensure it doesn’t go anywhere.

What is Designed Décor?
Designed Décor is a line of heavy-duty art and memory displays that are durable enough to last for years to come.

What are the dimensions of the Designed Décor components?
Designed Décor Red Magnetic Chalkboard: 12" × 14½" interior dimensions
Designed Décor Shadow Box: 12" × 12" interior dimensions
Designed Décor Colonial White Frame: 12" × 14½" interior dimensions
Designed Décor Black Frame: 14½" × 12" interior dimensions
Designed Décor Flip Stand Album: holds 6½" × 5¾" photos
Display Tray: 13" × 13¼" × 1"; fits 12" × 12" cut-up scrapbook page or 4" × 3" photos
Hinged Display Tray: One 5" × 3½" section, six 2½" × 3½" sections


3 comments:

  1. This post is great! Answered so many of my questions.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks. I honestly forgot about creating it last month!

      Delete
  2. Lalia, you continue to impress me :-)
    So much info I never thought ta ask about!
    Thank you for sharing your wisdom as well as your beautiful artwork!
    Happy crafting

    ReplyDelete