BOO CREW CARD KIT

These are the cards Gena Iwig, a former team member of mine, created for my recent Open House - 10 cards and a special envelope box for the dimensional card.  The instructions for this kit are available for anyone with the purchase of the Boo Crew paper pack with stickers (CC8211) for $9.95 and a $5 donation to Operation Smile, the charity for Close to My Heart.  If you have already purchased this paper pack with stickers but are interested in making these cards, you can substitute the purchase of a different paper pack with stickers from my CTMH website.  If you are a fellow CTMH Maker, you can get the instructions without the purchase of the products with a $10 donation to Operation Smile.  More information about these options and what else you need to create these cards is provided after you see all the photos.  There's also a video with a card slideshow showing these cards up close!

The free-form cut around the BOO! is a great feature on the first card.  The Black and Wild Berry glitter paper make those little cats really stand out.  If you don't have the glitter paper, you could use regular cardstock and add some shimmer to it.
 

The Ballerina pink ghost paper is so cute for the "Let's Get Spooky" card.  The "Getting Scary" card was created using strips from the scrap papers!  Such a great idea.

Another free-form cut job of the background paper on the "Happy Haunting" card.  The border strips from the sticker sheet were layered to create the edges of the "Creepy" card.

There's actually no piecing on the "Sweet & Spooky" card - that's the patterned paper!  Makes for a quick card.  The "Hocus Pocus" card is the first use of the wizard gnome - but you could substitute any other Halloween image from your stash on your card.

The front of this "Happy Halloween" card has a vellum overlay that features the sticker banner and the multi-colored set of pumpkins.  This is a nice feature that allows the busy pattern to show through, but not interfere with the images you want to stand out on your card front.
 

 

The wizard gnome is featured again on this "Toil and Trouble" card.  This dimensional card has a curved front.  Since it won't fit in a standard envelope, Gena created a box that will fit the card for easy gifting.  Several options for creating this box are included in the instructions.

I created a short (less than 2 minutes) slideshow of all the cards and some of the special details.  Take a look!

The cards were created by using mainly the papers and the stickers from Boo Crew (CC8211).  There is one stamped image that is used on two cards – the wizard gnome from the "Chillin' With My Gnomies" stamp/die set (Z3965) which is still available from CTMH.    Other than that, this kit requires no stamping on your part.  If you don’t have the wizard image, you could substitute any Halloween image from your stash.  If you wish, you could purchase the stamp/die set or the stamp set alone.  I am also adding this option for customers -  add $2 to your Operation Smile donation and I will mail you three stamped and die cut images of the gnome!  Just be sure that your mailing address on your CTMH account is correct for postal delivery.

DETAILS FOR GETTING THE COMPLETE INSTRUCTIONS FOR 

CUTTING AND ASSEMBLING THESE CARDS AND BOX

Purchases and Donations must be made on my CTMH website

scrappingail.closetomyheart.com 

• CUSTOMERS in the US - Purchase the paper pack with sticker sheet (CC8211) for $9.95 from my Close to My Heart website (click on item number) 
• Add a $5 donation to Operation Smile at checkout.  Operation Smile is the charity of Close to My Heart.   
• If you have already purchased this paper pack with stickers but are interested in making these cards, you can substitute the purchase of a different paper pack with stickers from my CTMH website.  
• FELLOW CTMH MAKERS -You can get the instructions without the purchase of the products with a $10 donation to Operation Smile.
• Makers outside of the United States - Please make the donation of $10 in your currency on your own website.  Take a screen shot of your receipt for the donation.  Email that to me at greetingsfromgail@gmail.com - and let me know what email address you want your PDF sent to!
  

I will use the email address associated with the CTMH account used for the order to email you a PDF of the instructions.  The instructions include photos of all the cards, cutting diagrams for all of the papers, and detailed instructions for assembly of the cards and the box.

Here’s what you are looking for on the Cart page of my CTMH website so you can make the Operation Smile donation.  Customers - just add the $5 to the order before you check out.  CTMH Makers - the Operation Smile donation can be an order of its own, with no product purchase necessary to check out.

 

Here's what else you will need:

• You do need some colored cardstock to coordinate with the paper pack.  The colors used: Nectarine (1 sheet), Black (2 sheets), Wild Berry (the new color of the year - 1 sheet).  If you don’t have these on hand, you can purchase the coordinating cardstock pack (CC8213) for $9.95.
• 1 sheet of White cardstock
• 1/4 sheet of Vellum
• 1/2 sheet of Wild Berry glitter paper or you could use some of the Wild Berry cardstock and add shimmer or glitter glue to it – or you can purchase the Wild Berry glitter paper (Z2538) - it really does pack a punch on the cards it is used on!
• 1/4 sheet of Black glitter paper (same option as above) or purchase the Black glitter paper (Z3236)

• 4 - A2 card bases and 4 slimline card bases (3-1/2 x 8-1/2) - CTMH sells both in packs with envelopes (X257 for 20 slimline and X254 for 50 A2 size)

• Score board or score tool to create the black card bases
• Envelope Punch Board to create the box for Wizard & Cauldron card. If you don’t have this board, an alternate box design is provided in the instructions
• If you don’t have the wizard gnome image, you can purchase the set with dies on my CTMH website – Z3965 - or the stamp set alone - D2028
• Another option for the wizard gnome image for customers is to add $2 to your Operation Smile donation and I will mail you three stamped and die cut images of the gnome!  Just be sure that your mailing address on your CTMH account is correct for postal delivery.  This option for getting the wizard gnomes will not be available after October 20, 2021 as I will not be around to mail these to you!  So if interested, get your order in early!

Optional accessories that you can use:

• Z5008 Wild Berry Dots or Z5018 Wild Berry Glitter Gems
• Z3314 Black & White Dots (used as eyes on the cats!)
• Z3875 Black Bursts (used spiders on the strip card and as eyelashes on the cat card!)

 

I hope you consider getting the products and the instructions.  

Not only will you have a great time creating these cards, your recipients will love the detail on them, and your donation to Operation Smile will impact lives!

 

 

Questions: - email me  greetingsfromgail@gmail.com 

 

Take a Hike for Father's Day!

 

I am so happy to have a community of Close to My Heart makers/consultants who share their skills with all of us.  My friend Betsy Gully designed this card and she said for me to go ahead and use it with my class in June!  That really saved me time, as I had just returned from a family trip to celebrate my mom's 92nd birthday, and getting back into the swing of things took a while after our return.

The starry sky patterned paper was perfect for this hiking themed card - and it's from the current Stars & Sparklers paper suite.  The hiking images are from the "Take a Hike" stamp set - and I'm so glad that it is available with accompanying thin cut dies!  Several of the images didn't require any coloring, and I used the Spectrum Noir Tri-Blend markers on those that did need color added.

Any variety of sentiments could be used on the bottom of the card.  I used this design for my son's 30th birthday earlier this week.  It was perfect!

Click on any of the links highlighted in blue above if you want to get more information about the materials used on the card.  And, again, thanks to Betsy!

I appreciate you stopping by.
 

HAPPY Birthday for Fab Friday Challenge

 A big, bold sentiment certainly works well if you are creating a card for a man.  I really liked the rich colors in the special "You Are Enough" cardstock pack - this sapphire piece has a rose-gold pattern embedded in it.  And it went perfectly with the copper ore cardstock (all are from Close to My Heart).

This label sentiment was perfect to use with the sketch over at the Fab Friday Challenge this week.  I added a bit more detail behind it with the specialty cardstocks.

The HAPPY image is actually a part of the label stamp/die.  And the stamp set had the overlay piece to give the highlights to the word.  

I dug through my stash and found a Metallic Copper fine embossing powder from a store that closed quite a while ago.  So glad that embossing powder seems to last forever!  I used the same embossing powder for the birthday greeting below the label.  The stamp is called "Wishing You Everything" (from CTMH) and is very versatile for so many occasions.  

Don't forget to pop over to the Fab Friday challenge blog to take a look at the other projects created using this sketch.

 Thanks for stopping by!

My Hole in One for Father's Day!

 

It shouldn't be hard to make cards for the men in your life, but it seems like most of the stamps out there are floral and pretty!  Of course, we are approaching Father's Day, so many of us are working to get that special card created.  So I was really happy to find a set that truly is for the guys!  Of course, my husband doesn't golf, but it was a fun set to work with anyway.  

The versatility of sentiments for the front of the card is great.  I grabbed an older set that was small enough to fit on the golf ball that I added to the inside of the card, on top of that flag from the 18th hole!

I'm entering this card in two challenges that are focusing on men - which makes sense given the time of year!

 

Here are the details of the card -

The papers are from the current CTMH Mix-In paper pack.  I loved that the bluebelle and mink grey subtle patterns provided a fairly neutral background for the golf images.  The stamp set is called "My Hole in One".  Having dies accompany this set is a big plus!

I love the argyle stamp design provided on this set.  The men in my family have a running joke about argyle sweaters, so those images will get a LOT of use!  I did use the Spectrum Noir Tri-Blend markers to color the golfer image, and was thankful that the golf bag stood on its own without coloring.

Be sure to pop over to the two challenge blogs to check out the other masculine themed projects:

Watercooler Wednesday Challenge - All things masculine

Stinkin' Inkers Challenge Blog - You're the Man
 

So Tweet for Freshly Made Sketches

A sweet little bird-day greeting for anyone on your list!  The sketch over at Freshly Made Sketches this week was the perfect inspiration.  

I love the clean and simple designs, but sometimes too much white space drives me crazy.  So I used a background die to give a bit of pattern that didn't interfere with the main focal point.  

And speaking of the main image, what do you think of that cute little bird?  There's a set of three birds on the So Tweet stamp set, and a sweet little butterfly.  So glad that the variety of sentiments provided something for a birthday.  

I used a little inking behind the circle shape and added some splatters with the Lemonade Shimmer Brush.  Some bitty sparkles and silver embellishing thread finished off the embellishments.  I used Spectrum Noir Tri-Blend markers to color the images.

I am entering this card in three challenges.  Be sure to pop over to each of them with the link provided so you can enjoy the creations that others are sharing!

• Freshly Made Sketches - sketch #483
• Watercooler Wednesday Challenge #WWC314 - All About Occasions
• Addicted to Stamps and More Challenge #404 - Any Occasion 

All products used are from Close to My Heart:

So Tweet stamp/die set (Z3952)

Stitched Lattice Background Thin Cut Die (Z3681) 

Lemonade Shimmer Brush (Z3671) 

Canary Stamp Pad (Z2843)

Bitty Sparkles (Z1263)

Silver Embellishing Thread (Z4213)

Spectrum Noir Tri-Blend Markers (pale pink blend, pale pink shades, hydrangea blend, dull green blend, citrus blend, gold yellow blend, and true blue blend)

Thanks for stopping by to check out my little birdie!  Enjoy your day.

  

 

 

National Scrapbooking Month Special from Close to My Heart

 How do you plan to celebrate National Scrapbooking Month?   This is really a time not just for scrapbookers, but for all paper crafters to enjoy special products.  Close to My Heart has released a beautiful suite of products for you to use in your papercrafting projects, whatever they may be.  

The promotion is called "You Are Enough", and includes beautiful rose gold designs on cardstock and patterned papers, a wonderful butterfly die set (the butterfly comes in two different sizes), holographic butterfly sequins, a stamp set with optional coordinating dies, and finally, a set of pocket scrapbooking cards, that work just as well as card fronts!

Here's a video overview that showcases all the products, and I'm sharing them in the order of my favorite things!  So take a look.  https://bit.ly/338yWWc  

All the pricing details can be found on my CTMH website if you are interested.