Blossom Seasonal Sampler

Check out the latest installment of my Seasonal Sampler series!

Last night I donated one of these samplers to an Operation Smile auction and it raised $110 towards the cost of an operation to correct cleft pallet or cleft lip.  Each surgery only costs $240 through this amazing organization.  I've never been to a CTMH event that has hosted an Operation Smile auction before.  It was a bit intimidating saying "I'll donate," not knowing if this is the type of item that would sell.  I was wondering if I'd have to bid on it myself just to get back the cost of the frame.   No bidding for me.  I was too busy hanging on to my seat as the bidding hit $80+ in just a few seconds.  Thank you Kelley for your generosity and your final bid!  

It was jaw dropping, inspiring and I was a bit teary eyed.  I'll be writing more about Operation Smile in future posts.  

I want to thank Michele Rowley, my upline, mentor and brainchild of these seasonal samplers.  We've been tag teaming on creating these samplers.  This one was her "baby."  I was going to sit this month out.  I think she knew exactly what she was doing when she send me a sneak peek of her  Blossom Sampler.  It was gorgeous.  I ran with the idea, added that beautiful banner and butterfly and here it is!  Thank you Michele for your inspiration for this year and giving me the nudge to design this one.

You don't have to spend that much to create your own piece of artwork.  This month, for just $20 you can create the 12x12 sampler and 5 cards with the leftover stickers and scraps.  The frame is $28.95 plus shipping & tax (about $34)

Here's the FIVE cards.  I've never had so many stickers leftover.  

We'll be stamping 3 of the cards using the new stamp set Finding the Words D1646.  Even the cute little butterflies on the last card are part of that set.  

We'll be using the following products

Blossom Paper Pack

Blossom Complements

Oceanside Sequins

Teal Shimmer Trim

Bitty Sparkles

Whisper Cardstock

Damask Embossing Folder

Lagoon & Sunset Inks

If you'd like to order a pre-cut kit, they are $20.  

Shipping for as many kits as you like is $6.  I'll cover any additional shipping.  

My in-home workshop is Saturday, May 16, 2015 at 7pm or you can order a kit to-go.  I have full color instructions on how to create this kit.  

If you're a DIYer, you can create this kit on your own.  Just order the $20 from my website and I'll send you the cutting instructions including a Cricut Explore Cricut Design Space link.  You'll have tons of paper left over after you've created this project.  You will need a scrap of Whisper and a 4x12 strip of Pear.  They aren't included in the paper pack.

Click here to shop  

You can order a pre-cut kit for $20.  It will include a full color guide sent by email.

**Purchase link has been disabled**

March Seasonal Sampler

It's time to order your spring seasonal sampler!   We'll be making this one in March but it could last through most of the spring months!

The March sampler is bursting with color, dimension and texture!  We'll be using the CTMH Brushed paper pack and Vellum Complements, Junebug Puffies, Green & Pink glitter papers, Adhesive Springs and the Slate Striped Twist Ties.  

The bunny is on a spring so he hops!  

We'll be making a beautiful rolled rose for the center of the cross.  It and the bunny are cut from the Art Philosophy Cricut Cartridge.  This sampler covers the March winds, St. Patrick's Day, April Showers, Easter and Spring itself!  

If you'd rather not have a hopping bunny or Easter cross on the sampler, I've designed a 10th sampler square with a tree.  This pic was taken with my cell phone.  With a little patience of applying 3D foam tape under the branches and better lighting, your square will look 10 times better! 

This tree features the Junebug Puffies, which are dimensional glittery stickers. They're only available through March 31, 2015 but they may sell out early.  Be sure to order them before it's too late!

To use up a bit of the scraps and most of the remaining vellum complements, we'll also make 4 cards.  

The kit is $23.  If you are ordering the kit to go, you will receive illustrated instructions in your email.  I can 

My workshop is on Saturday, February 28th at 7pm.

I'll need your RSVP & payment no later than February 15th

March workshop or local kits

**Purchase link has been disabled**

Workshop To-Go Kit with $6 shipping.   UPDATE:  Order by March 29th.

Orders placed by February 15th will ship by March 1st.

After that, kits will ship about 2 weeks after your order.

 Shipping is $6 within the US for any number of kits shipped.  (I'll pay the difference if needed).  Feel free to order two months of kits or a second kit to complete with a friend.  

Click here to see all Seasonal Samplers

This kit has embellishments with a limited availability (Junebug Puffies)because it's part of the Seasonal Expressions 1 mini-catalog.  Product will only be available through March 2015.  Substitutions can be made.  

My kit is currently on display at Lila's Scrapbooking.  You can attend her morning workshop on March 27th.  You must contact her or go in the store to RSVP & pay for the workshop by the 14th. (workshop price is slightly higher). 

For Consultants & DIYers!

This kit was designed in Cricut Design Space for the Cricut Explore.  

Place a $20 order on my CTMH website and I'll send you a link to my design space file and my workshop handout for my customers via email.  If you are outside of the US, please contact me.  This is a small fee to have great pictures for your and your customers and a fully functioning design file.

Next month's sampler will be birthday themed!  You can use it to celebrate the whole family.

Emboss It Blog Hop

Today’s post is part of a blog hop!  I love being part of blog hops because they feature some of the newest product Close to My Heart has to offer.  For this hop, we’ll be featuring the brand new 5x7 embossing folders that debuted in February! 
To follow this hop, you can start here and click the link to the next blog at the bottom of my post.  If you’re already on the hop, welcome!  You should have arrived here from { Michelle Jones’ blog. } If you’re ever lost along the way, you’ll find a list of all the blog posts here.  (this will pop open in a new window and then you can come back here and keep hopping too!)

My card features the Ariana paper collection.  I started by pleated the beautiful floral paper by scoring it at 1” and 1/2” intervals and folding it.  I followed this tutorial from Splitcoast Stampers nearly exactly.
Here’s a couple of my tips: 

• If you’re going to make several of these cards, score the whole paper from top to bottom before cutting the strips.  You might even want to fold them a bit too.  Folding a large sheet is ultimately easier than folding 6 individual 2” strips! 
• Ink the bottom edge of my paper before folding (& attaching it to the card)!  I used Garden Green, a retired color since Olive was a bit too dark.

Next is the embossed band that holds the pleats in place and gives them a finished look. I cut my 1 x 4.25” strip and embossed it with our damask embossing folder.  I distressed it using our sanding block from the distressing kit to take the color off the raised edges.  Here’s the fun part:  I then inked the white exposed areas with Blush and Sorbet ink.  The coral color is exclusive to the Ariana paper pack so we don’t have an ink that matches.  This worked!  Use a light hand when inking.  Don’t saturate the paper or it will be very intense and bright. 
For the label, I cut the shape from Art Philosophy in White Daisy at 2.25” as indicated on the Frame Flair stamp set.  The sentiment is from Greatest Love. 
For the Ariana Coral label that shadows the white, I used my Gypsy (It can also be done with Cricut Craft Room or Cricut Design Studio) to make it .25” wider AND taller.  It was also handy to layout the shape on my Gypsy since I only have 1 sheet of this beautiful Ariana Coral to work with. 
If you just bump up your Cricut dial to 2.5” your label be a little disproportionate because it won’t be just .25” longer.  On this label, it’s not that much trouble.  (Just call me Obsessive Compulsive Cricut Perfectionist)The less square the shape is, the more noticeable it is.  You might thank me later when you do a skinny object. 
Here’s where you’d see the distortion, on a long, skinny shape.  The less square shape. 

So much for a simple looking card that had a pleated paper tutorial, embossing & distressing in one and a Cricut Craft Room tricks.  But guess what, we’re done! 
Feel free to hop on over to { Katy Taylor’s blog } to see the next project!
Have a great day!