20 Years as a Maker

If you missed the email, here's the info on my anniversary give-aways:

November marks my 20th year as a Close To My Heart Maker/Consultant and I sending YOU the presents! After all, if it wasn't for all of you: shopping, cropping, booking, and sharing, I wouldn't be in business. I will be entering people into drawings for random prizes. How are you entered? Let me count the ways!

1. Do something...comment, like, follow, share on social media. For my vanity? No. Because that's how Social Media works. Algorithms and other techie stuff. You can find links to the right (on web page). I'm also uploading and sharing my videos. I made a new page on my blog where your can find my previous classes and links for the CTMH workshops.  If you're on a new platform such as:  Locals, Mewe, Gab, Rumble or Parler, let me know.
1. bonus "tickets" for finding "errors" on my blog
2. Shop. That's always appreciated! Look for Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales and announcements later this month. The new November/December catalog just started and the new Core Catalog is only a few months old. FYI there were a LOT of items that sold out from September/October. In a few days we'll know if there is anything left (paper, thin cuts, embellishments). You should be able to find September/October stamps in the Online Only section; they are around for about a year. I'm giving out prize drawing "tickets" for almost anything that involves "20" or "anniversary."
1. every $20 spent
2. items from page 20
3. item numbers that include "20"
4.  stamp sets that include the word "anniversary"
5. November/calendar products
6. Stamp of the Month

3. Join. Sign-up, renew, and/or refer a VIP. There are also TWO special products exclusively for VIP members! Don't forget my Stamp and Scrap Club and Create with Heart subscriptions!
4. Donate $20 to Operation Smile. You can go through my website, no shipping, etc. It's only $240/child for surgery that will change, if not save, their life.  Can we raise enough for one smile??

This "special" runs through November 30, 2021.

Dazzling Dimension - CTMH Technique Blog Hop

 

Welcome to The Scrap Buzz and this month's edition of the Technique Blog Hop. You have arrived from Miss Carrie's page. Keep following the links to visit all of the participants as we Show You How to add Dazzling Dimension to your projects.

When I think of dimension, I think of layers. I chose to use the Layered Flower Background Thin Cuts. These have been in my stash for a while but I hadn't gotten around to playing with them. All three dies come together.

These dies are so well designed it makes "fancy" cards Faster, Simpler, and Easier to make! The hardest thing is deciding which paper(s) to use. To select my colors, I turned to our fabulous Love of Color books. In Volume 2 I found the combination of Sangria, Peacock and Linen. In Volume 1 I found Sundance, Desert Rose, Peacock and Peach. Then I consulted the color wheel and found Sangria, Peacock and Sundance formed a triangle; they are a triadic color combination.

Do you save ridiculously small scraps??  I saved the dots and the largest leaves and made a little flower on the inside of my card. I know I tossed quite a few tiny pieces and Cricut negatives when we moved last summer, so I figured I could start a new collection! The dots might be nice in shaker cards. I used a sentiment from the Operation Smile set called Every Bit of Wonderful.

To give my card extra dimension, I cut the three layers again out of some retired paper. When assembling, I attached the two identical layers first, then attached them to the card base, bottom to top. Does it look like there is much difference? FYI I weighed my card and it is still until the 1 ounce for first class letter postage in the US.

I had to try another color combination. This time I pulled three colors from the Lovely collection: Blue Belle, Sage, and Ballerina. I cut two 4.5x12 pieces from each 12x12 sheet so I could make four cards. When cutting the bottom two layers I didn't have any trouble and was able to get both dies on the CTMH cutting mat at the same time. I did not try to cut multiple layers, just because I was mixing colors. When doing the top layer I found it worked best if I cut it alone and it needed more pressure than I usually use. I set my CTMH die cutting machine to +1 and ran it through two times. The next time I make one of these, I’ll check it after one pass. TIP:  I learned with my old Cuttlebug to place large straight dies at an angle so the transition isn’t as severe. 

Another way to use this die is to cut all the layers out of the same color. Since I cut each color with all three dies, here’s what that might look like (the layers aren’t attached). I flipped every other layer so it showcases our two-tone cardstock. For these I also added a solid layer but the other cards are built on the white card base. This might be a great way to use up old colored card bases or 8.5 x 11 cardstock!

The first card I assembled I tried one of the liquid tombow glues. I thought I would need "wiggle" room. But the CTMH Adhesive Runner worked better. Don’t forget to work on top of the All-Purpose Mat. I put the top two layers side by side and ran the adhesive along both edges at once. If you have any way-ward dots, use the Rub and Remove Eraser to remove them.

Your next stop is Melissa Robinson. She also has a list of all participants in case you get lost.

Operation Smile™

Here's the picture from the CTMH blog post of the Share a Smile Challenge winners. The beautiful young lady between President Monica (center) and Avis  (right) is an Operation Smile™ Ambassador. Chadlene stood up in front of her class at 3 years old to sing for them. Due to her facial deformities, the other children laughed and bullied her. Before that, she thought she was just like everyone else. She prayed for a miracle and Operation Smile performed the necessary operation. She used singing as part of her therapy. In 2013, Chadlene won a reality singing show in the Philippines. Now she tells her story and uses her talent as an instrument to help other children receive their miracles.

.Every year at convention there is an auction of items made by consultants. These items are amazing pieces of art! I will try to share them once they are made public. In addition to the auction, some teams have additional fund raising opportunities. At the 2018 North Convention, these combined efforts raised over $81,000, the largest amount ever raised at a single CTMH event!

Our customers have been a big part of raising money for Operation Smile™ too. Remember that we offer a special stamp set, currently Punny Pals, and when you purchase this set at the regular D-size price, $7 of the proceeds are donated to the organization. If  you haven't already purchased these cuties, do so now, they'll be leaving us August 31! I also have the matching Thin Cuts dies available. Another way to help is by rounding up your order every time you make a purchase. We also offer  Operation Smile™  t-shirts. For every one purchased, we will donate $10 USD of the proceeds.

Thank you for your continued support of Operation Smile™!!

The 2017-18 Annual Inspirations was just released and it's full of exciting new products!!

Our new Color Of The Year is "Bashful," but you don't have to be bashful when using it...this soft pink will coordinate with many of your favorite Exclusive Inks colors. Bashful is available in cardstock, ink pad, re-inker, mini pigment ink pad, an Everyday Life Album, Pearls (new embellishment) and glitter paper! Watch for it to pop into paper packs throughout the year.

If one new color is exciting, how about ten?! The Basics Palette has been updated with a great set of neutrals in brown and grey tones. Missing basic black? Don't worry, it is now a "stand alone" color with White Daisy. 

It's hard to tell in the above picture but our cardstock is now two-tone: the regular shade on one side and a lighter shade on the other. You now have TWICE as many colors to use! Great for borders and layers too.

I just love the new Fundamentals patterns! For the Adventure Palette they have a great water color look. Be sure to look at my paper samples if you're local. It's so hard to get pictures that show the papers, they always look better in person. 

Scrapbookers...we have a new volume of Make It From Your Heart! This How To Book is actually loose pages (printed on very heavy, coated paper) that are 3-ring hole punched and fit into an Everyday Life album.

"You Are Here" and so is our new Cricut Collection! But don't let the name fool you, just like Flower Market is much more than flowers, there's more than just travel on this cartridge...such as the reasons you hit the road: sporting events, holidays and recreational activities. You Are Here Collection is available with a physical cartridge and also digital without a cartridge. It comes with three D-size stamp sets and the Enchantment cardstock pack (two-toned). We also have three new Country Collections that are available in digital format only.

We have two new Cut Above scrapbooking kits: "The Story Begins" for baby boy or girl. These kits are similar to the Live Beautifully kit we offered in May for National Scrapbooking Month. The baby kits include directions and materials to complete 10 coordinating 2-page layouts, memory protectors and a special offer to save 30% off a My Legacy album. Coordinating Picture My Life Cards are also available in either a boy or girl version. Also in Cut Above kits, Golden Moments, a card kit and a tag kit. Mix and match the pieces! There are also four new M stamps designed to fit on the banners.

And the new Operation Smile set is adorable!! Punny Pals has 36 animals and pun sayings. When you purchase this set, $7 of the proceeds is donated to Operation Smile™, a non-profit organization that provides surgeries to repair cleft lips and palates for children around the world. There are also new Operation Smile™ t-shirts. And remember to round your order up to the nearest dollar when ordering, your spare change can change the life of a child.

My favorite new product is the additions to our Workspace Wonder line including a carousel base and top for your stamp pad and/or marker stacks. How are you using Workspace Wonder components?? Post your configuration on my CTMH Facebook page.