Craft heaters!!
These hand-held dynamos are great for all sorts of crafting needs. But handle with care, because these little guys heat up fast and stay super-hot for a while!
Here's just a few things you can do with your craft heater...
~Speed up the drying time on Liquid Glass.
~Speed up the drying time on Pigment Inks
~Emboss!!
I use mine almost exclusively to emboss. I love adding dimension to my projects without going "full splash". (You know those projects where they threw everything in there - including the kitchen sink? Not my kinda dimension.) Embossing adds the right amount of flash. And if I'm feeling in a particularly embellishing mood, I can add sparkles or opaques to my embellished pieces (see my *Wicked* Halloween card!).
Embossing does take some practice to get the right technique down. So don't get discouraged if your stamped image looks pretty scary the first few times you do it. Just keep at it and pretty soon, Hallmark will be knocking down your door. (Just kidding. That's just a minor fantasy of mine.) Enjoy!
Theresa
Collect. Create. Contribute.
Do you still use a 35mm camera to capture all your family's memorable events or did you switch to a digital camera? If you did, then you need to digitize your scrapbooking, too!!
During the month of October when you purchase 9 two page Studio J layouts, Close To My Heart will give you the tenth two page layout free!
Studio J is how Close To My Heart does digital scrapbooking. There's no software to download and no upfront fees. In fact, you don't pay a cent until you're satisfied with your pages and ready to see them in an album on your coffee table. You just log onto the website here and start scrappin'!
I used Studio J for the first time last week and I couldn't believe how easy the whole process was! I just uploaded my pictures, chose my paper pack and layout from the dozens offered and embellished to my heart's content. Because it was so easy, I'm working on a birthday album for my mom and I'm going to have the pages delivered right to her!
Wanna try it for yourself? Just log in and start your own pages.
Theresa
Collect. Create. Contribute.
This is a great instructional video on how to use sponge daubers to paint ink on your stamps! It's one of my favorite techniques for adding color on a solid stamped image. (See my Pretty Stella card.)
I hope you have fun learning how to incorporate this simple way to add dimension to your paper crafted projects!
Theresa
Collect. Create. Contribute.
I made this card last year, but I HAD to share it with you. I LOVE Halloween! It is my FAVORITE holiday - and coincidentally both my husband's and my oldest son's birthdays.
I love how whimsical and girly this card turned out to be! Halloween doesn't have to be scary or gross or whatever Hollywood wants to turn it into this year. Even with the bats flying up from the bottom of the card and the raven on her hand, this witch is sassy!
Hope you enjoy!
THE BONE FOLDER!!
Fierce tool, funny name. The bone folder is a MUST-HAVE tool for every paper crafter!
Close To My Heart makes pre-made cards with matching envelopes. They come in all sizes, in various shapes, and you can get them in three different colors. But a lot of times, I like to have a colored card base. The bone folder helps me get the perfect fold every time. No more rips, no more refolding the paper leaving messy "practice" cards.
And it's not just for perfectly folded greeting cards! You can also use the bone folder to make a pleated paper ribbon as an embellishment for your scrap book pages. Use it to score paper flowers to add dimension to them (while saving your poor fingertips).
This little tool is always within reach whenever I'm crafting.
Click here to order yours today!
Hope you enjoy!
Theresa
Collect. Create. Contribute
Aren't these tags ADORABLE??? Let me tell you how much I LOVED making these tags!
First, I got to use a Cricut for the very first time making these tags! Each of the shapes cuts out of our NEW Cricut Artiste cartridge. I was so nervous, I had no idea what to expect. OMG, it was so EASY!
The images stamped right onto the shapes (gotta love see-thru acrylic stamps!!). And then onto my all-time favorite part of all...
The decorating!! I wanted these tags to say "Happy Holidays" without throwing tinsel in your face. And they do! I used our Glitz gel to add some sparkle to them and they turned out so elegant.
This would make a great project for kids who are home on one of these up-coming school holidays between now and December. And they'll be so proud passing out presents on Christmas morning while showing off their handiwork!
Hope you enjoy!!
