2022 IS OFFICIALLY HERE!

Ready to start off the new year with some lofty crafting goals. We have a bunch of trips planned this year and CTMH has so many great ways to save those memories.

Check out my website and find some inspiration of your own!

Visit My Website

Happy Crafting!

-E

JANUARY FEATURED PRODUCTS

Sweet as Honey

Get a fresh start on your scrapbooking and cardmaking goals with the sensational Sweet as Honey paper collection, featuring patterned papers, cardstock, pocket cards, stamps, and much more!

HELLO 2022 - Become a Maker!

Start the New Year right by signing up to become a Close To My Heart Maker! This month only, join for $20 and receive $22 back in CTMH Cash!

STAMP OF THE MONTH

January 2022: Sweet Little Things

Spend $50 and get this Stamp of the Month set for just $5

Each month you can purchase a new D-size stamp set valued at $18.95 for just $5—or you can get it for FREE as a VIP Customer! Qualify for this special pricing by placing an order of $50 or more in Close To My Heart products. This month’s set is only available from January 1–31.

VALENTINES - Smitten

Meet a new collection of Valentine’s crafting items that will have you falling head over heels!

Spread paper-crafted love with scrapbook pages and cards made using the exclusive Smitten paper collection! This stunning collection features a new paper packet with coordinating sticker sheet, cardstock pack, stamp set, and Thin Cuts! Save 20% on the entire collection with the Smitten Product Bundle or the Smitten Workshop Kit, which also includes a few additional supplies for making a striking collection of scrapbook pages, cards, and treat holders!

You can also join us on January 27 and 31 for virtual crafting events featuring the Smitten workshop artwork! Learn more on the Close To My Heart Facebook page!

NATIONAL PAPERCRAFTING MONTH - True Story

Papercrafting meets memory keeping in this incredibly interactive mini album project!

Perfect for National Papercrafting Month, the True Story album kit includes pre-printed base pages, die-cuts, stickers, acrylic shapes, Flip Flaps™ and Memory Protectors™, for creating a delightful mini album with surprises on every page! This album has room for an amazing number of photos and stories thanks to the innovative Flip Flaps, making this album a keepsake you will love paging through time and time again!

This kit is available in two discounted bundle options—one with just the album kit, and one that also includes a Black 6" × 8" Everyday Life™ Album for holding your completed pages!

You want thing-a-ma-bobs? I've got 20! Mouse Ears that is...

 Hello Crafty Friends!

I have just finished a much-needed 5-week break from work for the summer and spent SO much time crafting!  In the last month, I worked on a Project Life catch-up, Worked on the Universal Studios Scrapbook from our trip in May, made a Graphic 45 Album, did some sewing, art, napping, and general crafting.  

I have also been planning a quick Disneyland trip for my Mother in mid-September for her 60th Birthday! She has never been and I thought it would be a fun mother-daughter trip to celebrate.  I am, of course, making us matching Disney shirts for the trip. I went online to purchase us Mouse Ears to wear into the park and found some cute ones... well when they arrived I was BEYOND disappointed.  I could see irregular seams, glue, and they were just plain flimsy.  So I decided to do some YouTubing and make my own.  Let's just say there is a learning curve and it's cursed with hot glue and terrible fabric. 

After 5 attempts, I finally made some ears I love!  They are fun to make once I got organized and found what worked.  I wanted to share with you the progression!

Original Set from Amazon ($10 each)

First No-Sew Set - this was a really rough assembly. The seams were showing and the bow patterned was not good.  They look ok from a distance but really bad up close.

Second Set, Sewn - This pattern was better.  I like the bow pattern most.  The ear process and sewing were difficult.  Working on the circle sewing and how much fluff needs to go in the ears.

Third set, Sewn Pattern 2 - This pattern was the winner.  Lined ears, stuffed with foam and fluff.  The seam pulled on one side, so these got the piping, which made them SO much better!

Fourth Set, Sew - This set was the first to use fancy fabric.  I really like the look of it and the process is getting easier!  Seams are ok, but gauging the amount of stuffing is still trial and error.

Fifth Set, Sewn - This set was back to being more trouble.  I was working on this way too early in the morning (2am) and miss organized my fabric.  The result was a change in design which allowed for the really cool HTV logo and Captain America theme. Overall these came out good and will be shipped off to a friend this week.  

Sixth Set, Sewn - I was the most worried about this fabric since it was stretchy, but overall these came out the BEST! I love the shape and finally got a good puffiness to them. The bow is nicely shaped too.  

I am going to take a small break from ears to work on shirts (Check back for that post soon) and then I will decide on the final design for our ears when we actually make it into the parks!

Cheers!

-Erica

Fun Times with my Girl - Sketch Challenge (#211)

Today I decided to tackle a challenge from a fun crafting site - A Cherry On Top Crafts 

I have been following them on Instagram (@acherryontop_crafts) for quite a while and this Becky Fleck Sketch Challenge #211 jumped out at me!  The challenges are pretty open to interpretation.  You can work with scrapbook layouts, cards, wall hangings, etc.  

There are a lot of different products, companies, and basic techniques used here.  

I'll list the ones that jump out the most:

• First Edition - Let's Celebrate patterned papers (Joann's)
• Close to my Heart - Cardstock in French Vanilla, Mint, and Flamingo, Tags and Tabs thin cuts (Z3726), and acrylic hearts (Z3553)
• Stickles - Twinkle
• Brother Scan & Cut - Catalog Swirly Heart and 4" circles.
• Canon Pixma MX870 photo printer with Canon Matte Photo paper

I would love to challenge you to interpret this design and put your own mark on it!  Please share on my Facebook group page CTMH Erica Walsh

You can click here for the gallery page of other submissions.

Please check out my website to purchase any of these (and more) great products from Close to My Heart.

Happy Crafting!

-Erica

CTMH Wreath Kit - Grateful

Hello, fellow Craft Fans!

Spent some time working on this fun Wreath project! I changed up the back to match our interior by cutting out and painting a piece of the packaging a warm grey color. I also painted the Grateful in a bright white. I used all of the included leaves, but not the bow. I created centers in the flowers using Stickles ($3.50). It was fairly simple to put together using the CTMH Liquid Glass (Z679, $8.95). There are a few other options for words including - Be Kind, Stay Awhile, Create, and Love. Each kit comes with the wooden wreath base and word, 4 choices of background paper, leaves, flowers, and paper bow for $24.95.

Please check out my website to purchase, or let me know and I can add yours to my next order (Local delivery only).

January Specials - CTMH Kick of to 2021

Hello Fellow Crafters!

I am not sure if you have seen the newest CTMH catalog, but there are some super cute, fun projects shown! We also have some great special projects available right now!

I am currently $60 shy of my goal for the month of January and would love to help you find some fun things to work on for your spring projects. Please look through the images for some ideas and let me know what I can do to help.

 

Check out my website Here: ericawalsh.closetomyheart.com

Happy Crafting!
-E

Perfect Match

Papercrafting and Valentine’s Day are a match made in heaven, and the Perfect Match collection has everything you need to make absolutely gorgeous love-themed artwork! This stunning collection features a new paper packet and sticker sheet, the My Acrylix® Perfect Match stamp set, and adorable mini heart accents! You can even save 20% when you purchase these amazing products in the Perfect Match Product Bundle or the Perfect Match Workshop Kit!

NPM Home Sweet Home

Celebrate National Papercrafting Month with a beautiful wood frame designed for year-round décor! This adorable paper crafting project allows you to decorate a wood frame with a wooden “Home” sentiment and a variety of interchangeable accent pieces for every season

and holiday.

Goodbye 20, Hello 21

The start of a new year is the perfect time to begin your Close To My Heart Maker journey! From January 1 through January 31, the already low enrollment fee has been reduced to just $20, with $21 CTMH Cash at sign-up! After joining, be sure to also get the Business Basics Bundle—which contains a few essential business supplies—for just $15 with free shipping*. This incredible offer is only available during the month of January, so if you’ve been thinking about signing up as a Maker, now is the time!

BBMP Blossom

Enjoy a blast from the past with the return of Blossom, one of our most popular paper collections! The Blossom collection features the same classic paper designs that made it popular the first time it was available, with a refreshed color palette and several coordinating products, including a new sticker sheet, a coordinating cardstock packet, and two My Acrylix® stamp sets—one originally available with this collection, and one new, exclusive stamp set with coordinating Thin Cuts! Get all of these items and more at a 20% discount with the Blossom Workshop Bundle!

VIP Project

Join us for our exclusive VIP Customer workshop, We Are Good Together! This workshop will be featured in our very first VIP Customer virtual crafting event on February 25! This workshop is only available to our VIP Customers and Makers and contains all the materials you need to create 3 gorgeous 12" x 12" scrapbooking layouts and 10 fabulous cards! Make sure to order your workshop kit early in preparation for this exciting event! Not a VIP Customer? Let me know you would like to sign up.

Happiness Is

Bring a ray of sunshine to scrapbook pages, cards, and any other paper crafts when you work with this cheerful paper collection and its coordinating products.

Hand Sanitizer Wrap

Bath and Bodyworks 

Hand Sanitizer Wrap (pocketbac)

This was a cute gift I shared with my coworkers this year! Fitting for 2020.

Materials:
Solid cardstock
Patterned cardstock
Paper Trimmer
Scoring Tool (scoreboard, or bone folder and trimmer)
Adhesive
5/8” circle punch
Corner rounder
Small Velcro dot
Stamp/Decoration for top edge (Optional)

Instructions:
Cut 2” by 11 5/8” strip of solid cardstock

Score at: 1”, 3 ¼”, 4 ¼”, 7 ½”, & 8 ½”

From the edge with the 1” score line, punch a circle in the center of that section.
On the other end of the strip, round the corners

Cut patterned paper pieces with the dimensions:
2”x 1 ¾”
3” x 1 ¾”
2 7/8” x 1 ¾” – round corners on one end

Adhere 2” patterned piece to section next to circle.
Adhere 3” patterned piece to center section, pay attention to orientation if your pattern is directional.
Adhere 2 7/8” patterned piece to rounded end.

Fold up the box with the patterned pieces on the outside of the wrap.

You can add embellishments and stamping now if you like.

To wrap around the bottle, you will need to remove the lid to get the neck through the circle.

Adhere the Velcro dot where you would like the wrap to close.

July Sneak Peek - Gnome Matter

JULY SNEAK PEEK!
Playing with my Spectrum Noir Tri-blend pens and my Gnome Matter* stamps from CTMH. These guys are so cute!! Learning how to blend and color is cathartic.
Products:
*Gnome Matter Stamps and Thin Cuts (Z3741)
Spectrum Noir Tri-Blend Markers - Fair Skin, Pale Pink, Dark Red, True Blue, Green Turquoise, Light Yellow, Earth Brown.
Black - Exclusive Inks Pad (Z2805)

*The Gnomes will be available in the July /August Seasonal catalog.

Workshop Tuesday with CTMH

Each Tuesday throughout the summer Close to my Heart is offering free virtual workshops for specials and projects in the catalog. 

Today they are offering the Aurora Card Making Workshop! If you purchased this kit you can follow along as the creative team at the corporate office assembled it. There will also be drawings and fun stories!  

These have been fun to follow and work or just watch and learn. If you don’t have the kit, you can order it and watch the video replay. All you have to do to we eligible to win is mark yourself as GOING on the event page. No need to watch live to win. 

https://www.facebook.com/CloseToMyHeartOfficial
Head over to the Close to my Heart Facebook page / Events to register and watch. You will also find the replay here if you missed it.

CTMH - Stamp Shammy "LOVE"

I wanted to take a quick minute and highlight a great core catalog product. 

Stamp Shammy (Z3579) $10.95 for a set of two. 
It is simply a 6x6” shammy used for cleaning stamps. I have attached the link to the video for you to watch, but I also wanted to share mine. I never thought I would use it until I ran out of wipes mid-project and grabbed the one that came in my consultant kit. 

To use it I soak it in water until it’s soft, wring out the water. While I’m working on my projects, I stamp off excess in on a scrap page and then stamp or wipe my block clean. When I’m done I rinse it out and let it dry flat on my block box. I’ve been using it almost daily for 3 months and it’s still going strong! It does NOT leave any lint or film on your stamps and I find it getting stamps cleaner than when I used wipes previously. 

Certainly an inexpensive piece to add you your wish list!

https://youtu.be/vCwfvM9_9dg

Walsh Family - COVID-19 Album

Today I finished our Family COVID album! 
It has taken a while because the whole thing has been very emotional for me. I put it together with a 6x6 book I’ve had for years. I used the Every Little Thing scrapbook kit and stamps from across the years. It ended up 7 double pages and two singles using a variety of techniques learned over the last two months.