Paper and Fiber Arts



Welcome to my mixed media blog. Thanks for stopping by.

Monday, August 17, 2015

FAQs About CTMH Papers

CTMH Paper Fundamentals
Paper is the key component to Paper Crafting!  Consequently, there are frequent discussions about the various types of paper and the properties of each kind. Some papers work very well for scrapbooking, some are better for card making, some are great for art journaling, some are good for coloring with markers, others with watercolors... you get the idea.  Lots of papers. Lots of uses!

The question of paper weight is probably the one most frequently asked about CTMH's cardstock and patterned B & T Papers. I will answer that below and then please read to the bottom of the post for the second most widely asked question that I receive about CTMH's papers.

First, though, what is B&T paper and B&T Duos™ paper? The term “B&T” stands for “Background and Texture,” and the full product name is “Background and Texture Duos paper,” or B&T Duos™ paper. The B&T paper offered by Close To My Heart is cardstock-weight paper that has a different pattern or design printed on each side. B&T paper is typically used for page accents and embellishing but can also be used as the base page for layouts. There is B&T paper included in every My Reflections™ paper packet offered by Close To My Heart.  It is weighed as text weight paper at 100 lb.

Posted above are a couple of examples of CTMH's new Zoe B & T paper used with cardstock bases.  They used solid colored cardstock to achieve a clean and simple look for the layouts. The Zoe paper adds wonderful color and movement because of the fun patterns but doesn't detract from the photos. Another way to keep the focus on the photos but still have some interest is to use a tone on tone pattern.  The papers in CTMH's Fundamentals line achieve that in two different ways.  Pictured at the very top of the post is a swatch collection of all of their new Fundamental colors that will be available on September 1st. It shows the resist side of the papers. Immediately below this paragraph is one of the current assortments.  It is one of my favorites because it is so easy to use in scrapbooking and cardmaking with really interesting results. The photo shows both sides of each color.


Pictured above is CTMH's - Paper Fundamentals Basics Assortment 20 double-sided 12" × 12" sheets (2 each of 10 designs); same design on both sides, one side with glossy resist pattern; Basics color palette. *This particular assortment Retires September 1, 2015.


 12 x 12 CTMH Kraft Cardstock
12 x 12 CTMH Kraft Cardstock
The Colored, Basics, and Fundamentals Cardstock are all 65 lb. (cover weight). The Colonial White and White Daisy Cardstock are 80 lb. (cover weight). CTMH's Kraft Cardstock is 74 lb. (cover weight).

Enchantment Cardstock Combo Pack

You may have seen the new colors that are part of the Enchantment Combo Pack. It is included with the new Artistry Cricut Cartridge Collection and the Digital Collection, too.  There are 10 colors in the pack, 7 of which are new to CTMH. The combo pack has
20 – 12" × 12" sheets (2 of each color) with the following colors:
Eggplant *
Sapphire *
Peacock *
New England Ivy
Fern *
Saffron *
Goldrush
Poppy *
Pomegranate *
Ruby
* new color


The second most widely asked question that I receive about CTMH products is:

'Are Close To My Heart products considered “photo safe?” ' Here is the answer directly from CTMH:

"Close To My Heart offers a number of products designed to directly touch and/or interact with your photos. These products are designated as photo safe, which is defined as acid-free, lignin-free, buffered, and without PVC, when applicable. All of these products (inks, papers, protectors, and adhesives) have been tested and conform to the definitions of photo safe above. Note that while Close To My Heart sources top quality materials for its products, there are no industry standards or expectations for these products in memory keeping. We offer a wide variety of items, and customers may or may not choose to incorporate these items into their papercrafting."

If you have a specific question, please ask me or look in the current idea book to see which items are designated acid-free, etc.


White and Green

Two last little notes about CTMH's papers.  One of the things that CTMH's cardstock is known for is having a white inner core for their colored cardstock. The Kraft is solid kraft throughout.  I have many posts on my blog about ways to use the inner core to your advantage in fun and unique treatments.  In the next few weeks, I hope to have a few more.

Lastly, the question of environmental responsibility is another that should be answered by paper companies.  CTMH has this information posted on their website:
"All Close To My Heart printed papers, including cardstock, B&T Duos™, and complements, are sustainable forestry initiative (SFI) certified. We work with vendors who maintain the strictest standards in quality and environmentally responsible printing. ...
We also use some soy-based dyes in our paper printing. Because of some limitations with soy, we can’t use it exclusively, but it is an important component of our ink-creation processes."

CTMH Zoe B & T Paper Packet

Thank you for reading this long post!  I hope it answers questions you may have had. If not, please leave me a message or send me an email.
Beverly

Monday, August 3, 2015

Get Organized! August CTMH Constant Campaign


During the month of August, get your hands on the latest and greatest in organization products from Close To My Heart—with a few perks thrown in! Simply place an order for the new marker roll-up at full retail price and receive the new D-size stamp set My Acrylix® Balloon Wishes FREE! 

 


Or place an order for the new accessory roll-up at full retail price and receive two new Base & Bling style sheets, Affirmations and Lovely Blooms, FREE! All of the items offered as part of this campaign are featured in the Annual Inspirations 2015–2016 idea book, but are available for early purchase during August only as part of this campaign. 


The marker roll-up will be your new best friend, providing storage space for up to 25 ShinHan™ Touch Twin™ markers. The My Acrylix® Balloon Wishes stamp set is perfect for coloring, making them a practical pairing. The accessory roll-up is ideal for sorting and storing accessories, Base & Bling items, and embellishments, while the new Base & Bling style sheets are full of gorgeous floral designs and hip icons and sentiments perfectly suited for creating stunning jewelry pieces. Place your order for one—or both—deals and get an exciting sneak peek at just a few of the many new products found within Annual Inspirations’ pages!

Have fun getting organized and enjoy some free, fun goodies to go with your new organizational tools.
Beverly

Saturday, August 1, 2015

CTMH Cricut Artistry Collection - Gift With Purchase!


Happy August 1st!  Yes, this is my third and final post for today!  The first one has the links to the select new CTMH products that are available one month earlier than the launch date of the new catalog. You can find that post here.  


The second one showcases the new Zoe paper packet that I used for a cute Owl Mini-Album. 

You can find that post here



Which brings me to the really important part of this post....  How to receive free stuff when you order the new CTMH/Cricut Artistry Cartridge Collection! (Click here to see all the images.)


CTMH Artistry Cartridge Collection

The newest cartridge includes shapes spanning a wide variety of themes, holidays, and seasons to add some visual spice to any project you create. Get back to basics with the unique font, banners, layered shapes, borders, backgrounds, and other fun icons you'll find on this cartridge. All of the designs are a must for any crafter!

Collection includes:

1 – Cartridge (700 images: Shapes, Layers, Banners, Borders, Backgrounds, and Font)

3 – My Acrylix® D-size Stamp Sets

1 – Enchantment Cardstock Combo Pack


When you place your order through my website you will also receive FREE Stuff from me! You do not need to put these items in your shopping cart because they will be sent directly to you from me in Arizona. The Artistry Cricut Collection will be shipped from CTMH in Utah.  If you wish to purchase the August SOTM or any other items from my website, please do so!  They will be shipped from CTMH with your Cricut cartridge.

CTMH August SOTM $5 with qualifying purchase

With every CTMH/Cricut Cartridge Collection purchase I will automatically send the following items to you:

1 - Owl #1 Chipboard Book kit (8 1/2" x 5 3/4") - this post has the photos of the unfinished book, which is how it will arrive.  It has 17 pieces of kraft chipboard die-cuts for pages, covers and an owl to decorate and bind as you desire. ($4.95 value plus the postage = $10.70 value)



And for those of you who would prefer to buy the Artistry Digital Collection, I am offering the same great gift!
Cricut Artistry Digital Collection
Contains the same shapes, stamp sets, and cardstock as the cartridge collection. The only difference is the 700 images are accessed using an online code rather than a physical cartridge.*

*Available only for use with Cricut® Explore™ and Cricut® Explore Air™.

With every CTMH/Cricut Cartridge Collection purchase from my CTMH website, I will automatically send the following items to you:

1 - Owl #1 Chipboard Book kit - this post has the photos of the unfinished book, which is how it will arrive.  It consists of a 17 piece kraft chipboard die-cut kit - pages, covers and an owl to decorate. ($4.95 value plus the postage = $10.70 value)

Any of the CTMH/Cricut Collections purchased from my website will receive this special, limited time offer.

At the beginning of the check-out process, a "Join One of Beverly's Gatherings" prompt appears.  Please Join the "Artistry Celebration" Gathering.


Thank you very much for your business. I appreciate it.
Beverly








Zoe Owl Album - Lots of Pictures


Isn't she adorable?  I love mini albums and this one was very easy to make because I used a pre-cut chipboard base kit.  I traced around pieces of cardstock and patterned paper and cut them out for each component of the album.
Enamel & Glitter Triangles Used for Eyelashes
As soon as I saw the new Zoe patterned paper packet from CTMH, I knew it would be perfect for this cute Owl album.  It came together very easily using Yes Glue to adhere the paper to the chipboard. The patterned paper eyes were cut with a 1" circle punch. The black chipboard pupils are included with the owl album. The beak was covered with washi tape from the Carnival pack and adorned with an Enamel Triangle.


Chipboard Album Components Covered with CTMH Zoe Paper 
After completing each page I made two holes with the Crop A Dile for the binding.  The Glacier twine is strong enough for two-hole binding this sturdy little book.

Polka Dots Made Shiny by Covering with Liquid Glass
I used the same twine for the stems of the flowers.  The "flowers" are actually intended to go beneath the eyes on the owl's face.  


Kraft Chipboard Pieces for Album
Here are the pieces of the album prior to decorating and assembling.
Different Shapes and Sizes of Inside Pages
Having a variety of internal pages makes the book more interesting because you get a sneak peak at what is coming up in the book.

Inside Front Cover
The zip strips from the paper packet make a nice frame around the 5 x 7" photo on the inside of the front cover. My favorite adhesive for photographs is 3M's ATG 1/4" acid free tape. All of the chipboard and paper I used are acid free, too.
Mini Book Bound with CTMH Glacier Extra Thick Twine
The chipboard page on the right is a rectangle that I cut to make a little shorter. The patterned paper was cut to the size of the original chipboard page.  I wanted to have some paper stick out on the end to cut with a scallop punch for an additional decorative edge that would somewhat mimic the page underneath.
Journaling Done by Child Adds a Cute. Authentic Touch
By assembling and binding the pages once they were completed I could choose the order that made the most sense to me.
CTMH Cricut Artistry Diecuts Stamped in Sorbet Ink
Some of the stamped images are from the August Stamp of the Month Set called Framed.
4 x 6 photos cut a little to fit pages
Remember that to see more detail,you can click on any of the photographs.
Washi Tape and Cricut Artistry Die Cuts on Hidden Pocket
I didn't want my journaling to show since my daughter's journaling is what I wanted people to mainly read. Because of this, I hid a little slide-out card behind a pocket made from cardstock and decorated it with lots of cut up washi tape and a few stamped die cuts.
Inside Back Cover With Zoe Assortment Gem
Some of the small titles came from the negative cuts from the Artfully Sent Cricut cartridge.  I try to use every scrap in my scrapbooking!
Back Cover

There is more information about the chipboard book kits on yesterday's post located here.

Thank you for visiting today!
Beverly




       

2015-2016 CTMH Annual Inspirations Idea Book


Good Morning!


This is a short post to let you know which select items can now be ordered from the newest Idea Book. All of the remaining items in the catalog will be available when it officially starts on September 1st.

August 1 Releases for Customers:


The 2014-2015 Annual Inspirations book is still active but some of the items are being discontinued and will not be available once they are sold out or retired on August 31, 2015, whichever comes first.  Please visit here for the most up-to-date list.

Stamped Image from August SOTM Framed

If you would like to order the new Idea Book and Catalog, please visit my website here.  If you would like to receive the NEW Idea Book for free, please read this post to find out how.

There will be another post today about how to receive free goodies from me with the purchase of the newest CTMH Cricut Artistry Collection and a post with an adorable owl mini-book that I made using the Zoe Paper Packet.

Thank you for visiting!
Beverly

Wednesday, July 29, 2015

View a CTMH Idea Book For Free!


There are several ways to receive a CTMH Annual Inspirations Book and Catalog. One way is to buy it from my website. But this post is about how to view the Idea Book for FREE.  So please check out the list below. One of these is bound to work for you!

  • View it online here
  • Download the PDF from here
  • Host an Online Gathering from anywhere in the USA and I will mail it
  • Host a Home Gathering and I will deliver it to your house
  • Become a consultant and receive TEN of them (with the new August kit)
  • Purchase one of the CTMH Cricut cartridges from my website and let me know you'd like a catalog and I will mail it to you at no charge
  • All of my customers from the previous year who have purchased at least $50 worth of products will be sent one upon request at no charge - email me: Stampinbev@msn.com

There are Seasonal Expression mini-catalogs available throughout the year. The current catalogs are good through August, 2015.  New Idea books and a Holiday Seasonal Expression will be available on September 1, 2015 for customers. New consultants who join CTMH will receive the 2015-2016 Annual Inspirations and Holiday Seasonal Supplements starting August 1, 2015.

And in case you would like to see some of the products that CTMH offers memory keepers - please watch this short video about why we do what we do.  I think we can all relate to the joy that papercrafting brings us and to others, as well.


Happy Crafting,
Beverly

Tuesday, July 28, 2015

Hip Pics Album - Lots of Photos!



This is a different kind of Pocket Scrapbooking. The mini Hip Pics kraft chipboard album from CTMH has eight white pocket pages which holds 16 - 6 x 4 pictures viewed in 3 3/4" square windows. The album is approximately 6 1/2" x 5 1/4" and is spiral bound to lie flat.
.
The album is very easy to fill.  It lends itself to simply sliding photos into the pockets and making a few notes. Or one can dress it up as much as she/he wants. Click on the photos to see more detail.

Because of the small size, it is a great way to use lots of scraps of cardstock or patterned paper and stray embellishments and die cuts.

Since I don't like to put away my leftovers from other projects this was a good excuse to use them up rather than have to tidy up!

Most of the papers are from the Chalk It Up paper pack.  Some of the thick chipboard shapes are from the same collection's Complements pack.  Many of the die cuts are from the CTMH Cricut Artbooking Collection.

Some of the words are segments cut from the larger rolls in each of CTMH's washi 3-roll tape packs: Carnival and Boardwalk .  These are being retired and are "while supplies last".


I mounted most of the pictures on scrap pieces of cardstock cut at 4 1/4" wide so they wouldn't slide around in the pocket.

The picture above, on the right-hand side, was mounted on a piece of patterned paper on the outside of the pocket.


Both of the pictures above were adhered directly on the pocket pages. This makes it even easier to scrapbook because the pictures tell the story.


Even though there are no pockets on the inside covers, I used those surfaces, too.
CTMH My Creations Hip Pics Album

This is the blank cover left unadorned just to show what the album looks like prior to putting one's own personal touches to it.  I'd love to see how you decorate your album!


Thank you for visiting today!
Beverly


Monday, July 27, 2015

Hello!



After a wonderful, amazing, long trip to Europe and a short week-long trip to a little bit cooler area of Arizona, I am back!  And ready to get back to papercrafting!

The first thing I made upon returning was this Hello card.  I love stamping and it always makes me feel like I can make something usable fairly quickly when I make a card.  The background stamps are from the Assorted Edges set, stamped in Pacifica Ink


The Hello sentiment is from the Cricut Artfully Sent Collection set.  I stamped it using Versamark ink and embossed with Silver embossing powder.  The inside of the card is simple:

It was stamped with black ink using a retired stamp set.  Which brings me to the most important part of this post.  Sorry for the lengthy lead-up!  CTMH has announced the list of retiring items.  Unfortunately, some of the items have already sold out.  Items are available here while supplies last.
Some of the retiring items are six of the CTMH Exclusive ink and cardstock colors.  If you need to replenish your stock or have been waiting to get a re-inker, please order them before they are gone! As always, please let me know if you have any questions.  It is good to be back and I look forward to hearing from you!

Thank you for stopping by today.
Bev