Tag (You're It!) Tuesday

I made another of my popular personalized baby name frames as a gift for my husband's co-worker recently.  It was a really busy time, and I didn't have time to get wrapping paper.  I did have some kraft bags in my stash, so I just whipped up a cute little tag to add with some ribbon...

It really is amazing what you can do with some basic supplies on hand!  These Slate Striped Twist Ties from Close to My Heart are one of my favorite crafty supplies to keep around.  It was the perfect thing to use to attach my tag to the ribbon.  :)

The stamp is from MCT and the cute wooden heart is a retired CTMH embellishment. 

A Magical Fairy Wand for CTMH Convention 2014

Hi everyone!  I am having a most magical time here in Disneyland for Close to My Heart's annual convention! 

Our team had a wand making contest--which is kind of tricky when traveling by air with said wand, lol.  UNLESS you have real magic!  ;) 

Anyway, here is mine! (sorry for the blurry pic--my wand was packed by the time I realized it came out like this!)

I started with this awesome shape from the Cricut Artiste Cartridge cut on Grey Glitter Paper.  The silver accent from the retired base and bling line was perfect on each side.

I wanted to be sure to add some of our versatile twist ties to my wand, and I colored them with my Cotton Candy Alcohol Marker to match the retired pink sparkles.  I wrapped the wand (sucker stick) with silver geometric washi...

I just HAD to find a place to add these bells...so this retired grey ribbon was perfect!

Here is a tip for cutting glitter paper on your cricut machine...hold it down nice and steady with some washi!  :)

Mojo Monday 331 with Ivy Lane

We interrupt your regularly scheduled blog posts with a quick challenge entry!  This one does double-duty today.  I recently received some new Paper Smooches stamps and dies, and when I saw the sketch for Mojo Monday 331, I knew EXACTLY what to do with them!  :)

I have had my eye on several different brands of jar stamps/dies, but the Paper Smooches version, Crystal Clear, finally won me over.  I thought this sketch was certainly begging for it--don't you?

I used the patterns in the Ivy Lane Paper Packet for bit of feminine flair on this card with the recipient in mind.  I created a jar full of hugs by adding a label shape from my leftover Cricut cuts--this one is found on the Cricut Artiste Cartridge exclusively from your friendly CTMH consultant, like ME!  ;)  The hand-drawn boarder I added matches the adorable stamped tag that I tied onto the jar with the brand new CTMH Baker's Twine Neutral Metallic Assortment.  I love the added bit of silver in there to go with the Silver Geometric Washi Tape I used to covered the jar lid.

The hugs sentiment on the jar label is from the Paper Smooches We Connect acrylic set.  I found that tiny heart on another new PS stamp set of mine, Scripty Sayings.  It was just the perfect addition to the tag since it complemented my lopsided hearts so well!  :)

Now, lets talk about these hearts.  The "lop" heart image is found on the Cricut Art Philosophy Cartridge that is also exclusively available from Close to My Heart.  ;)  I used three different sizes cut on REAL dial size--2, 1.5, and 1 inch, then inked all the patterned papers with Hollyhock ink on the edges to give it some separation. 

Now, I know this is not going to sound like me, but I wanted to keep the sparkle on this one to a minimum due to the circumstances behind the card.  The Flamingo Dots and retired Licorice Opaques were the perfect embellishments to add in this case.

Finally, I needed an element for that diagonal on the sketch.  I really wanted to draw in the grey color a bit more, so I grabbed my trusty Slate Striped Twist Ties!  I thought a little twisty embellishment would look nice in the heart cluster as well.

I am linking up with Mojo Monday as well as the Paper Smooches Sparks Challenge Blog for Anything Goes!  

Thanks for letting me sneak in another post today!  :)

My Creations Box for the Birthday Girl

Happy birthday to my sweet middle girlie today!

I used one of Close to My Heart's fantastic My Creations 3D items to make the perfect gift box for her present...the Ring Box.  Can you spot the sneak peek of two brand new products coming out in the 2014 Spring/Summer Idea Book?  ;)

This sturdy little ring box is perfect for a small gift--like the necklace I am giving!  I made a rosette cut from the Artiste Cricut Cartridge with Crystal Blue CS and placed a hand trimmed Single Snowflake stamped in Lagoon on top.  See those shiny silver triangles?  They are a BRAND NEW product in the new Idea Book called Triangles Durable Studs.  I adore how they accent the corners of the box top.  I also added a sprinkling of Bitty Sparkles.

The sides of the box were a lot simpler.  I just used strips of Silver Washi Tape, Surf's Up Zip Strip, and Teal Shimmer Trim.  Wait a minute!  TEAL shimmer trim???  Yep, another BRAND NEW product in the 2014 Spring and Summer Idea Book from Close to My Heart!

The little tag in the shape of a mitten is cut with the Art Philosophy Cricut Cartridge on the sweet chevron pattern in the Frosted Paper Packet.  Just a leftover cut from a past project--save those scraps, I tell you!  ;)  I added a bow of white baker's twine and attached it with a Slate Striped Twist Tie! 

Stay tuned to my blog to find out how YOU can get your hands on these two new products, plus another one, before they are released in the 2014 Spring and Summer Idea Book!

Now, off to celebrate the birthday girl!  :)

Another Gift Card Holder from Artiste

Hi again, everyone! 

I am almost caught up on all the GREAT projects I have to show you in my stash.  In case you are out browsing for gift card holder ideas, I have one for you!  The Close to My Heart Artiste Cartridge has two wonderful gift card cuts to choose from.  I used the Laughing Lola Paper Packet to whip up a beautiful example for you to see!

I want the recipient of this gift to feel very special indeed, so it resembles an award ribbon.  :)  It also features one of my favorite ribbons, the Slate Satin Polka Dot Ribbon.  Get your hands on this gorgeous 1.5 inch wide ribbon before it disappears...they just added it to the retiring list!  Gasp!  The items on this list are only available while supplies last--except for the My Acrylix Stamps which are available until January 31st. 

I used black and silver shimmer trim and the slate striped twist ties to make these accents...yep, I inked one side of the twist ties in Gypsy!   I used the My Acrylix sets from the Artiste Collection and the Frame Flair My Acrylix to stamp the different elements of the sentiment in Black, Crystal Blue, and Gypsy.  Each of the shapes is cut out on my Cricut to match the stamps!  This is one of my favorite features of our three Cricut collections!

The inside panels of the card are simply matted CS rectangles.  The Black really sets off the pop of white.  I used a sentiment from the Perfect Fit Thanksgiving My Acrylix on the bottom corner.  I adore the font in this set!

I spent my gift card, so had to use CS to show where it goes, lol!

Not too long ago, I posted up a cute Christmas themed gift card holder. using this same cut.  In case you missed it, check it out HERE!  :)  There are so many ways to dress this one up!

And now, let me share a secret with you!  Get ready for some awesome deals!!!

Season's Tweetings Gift Bags

Hi everyone!  I decided to show you a sneak peek of some of the things I have been making for a Christmas Craft show.  These gift bags are made from an adorable kit in the new Close to My Heart Holiday Gift Guide Called Season's Tweetings Gift Bags.

I want to have a wide variety of items to sell at my booth, so I didn't want to spend eons on designing.  I simply used the guide that came with the kit for the tags...and then added my own twist to them!  Slate Striped Twist Ties that is!

I added some color and bling to the tags as well, like the cute little washi Santa hat on this birdie.

You have to admit that they are all that much more amazing with a touch of sparkle!

I have a few more left to make, so hang tight for the next creation!  :)   Thanks for stopping by!

Thanks A Bunch Color My Heart!

Hi everyone!  Thanks a bunch for stopping in today to see the next challenge from the Color My Heart Color Dare.

This week, we are using Gypsy and Buttercup along with any neutrals of your choice.  I used White Daisy and Slate for the neutrals on my card, and tried a little technique with my white gel pen that I have seen around quite a bit.

There are a few things that I just LOVE about this card...first being the awesome background stamp I used from the Close to My Heart Geometric Backgrounds My Acrylix.  I stamped it in Buttercup all down the front of my White Daisy card base.  I wanted a nice "picnicky" feel from it to go along with the grapes.  The Gypsy CS grapes were easy to cut out with a small 5/8" size circle punch.  I inked the edges with Gypsy Exclusive Ink and highlighted a little semi-colon on each of the top grapes with my white gel pen--SO fun!

The edges of this White Daisy panel are distressed to add some texture, and I even popped it up with foam squares.  Some of the grapes are popped up as well--I am kind of a dimension girl, lol.

Now for my absolute FAVORITE part of the card--the Slate Striped Twist-Ties!  I simply cannot thank whoever came up with these enough!!!  They are perfect for grape vines, don't you think?  I find that glue dot minis are perfect for adhering these to my projects.

I try not to use too many retired products in my DT designs, but this was exactly the right sentiment for my grape bunch!  It is from the June 2013 Stamp of the Month, A Flowering Bunch.  I stamped it and the leaf from the same set in Slate Exclusive Ink and added a little Slate CS stem.

Ready to get busy creating yet?  I hope you have time to join us this week over at Color My Heart, and cannot wait to see what you make with your Close to My Heart colors Gypsy and Buttercup!

I still have a few more spots left open in my NEW Close to My Heart Reward Clubs, so please check them out HERE!  You could win your choice of Cricut Collection!  :)

Time to Start Thinking About Christmas!

Hi everyone!

Alright, so don't freak out or anything, but there are less than three months left to plan out those handmade Christmas gifts...and THAT's if you are working up the the last minute, lol!

If case you need an idea or two, here is a box of Christmas tags to get you inspired.  I made these tags throughout the season last year, and decorated a box to hold them.

I used the retired CTMH Believe papers to decorate this My Creations Card Box.  The bow I made is super-easy with a cut from the Cricut Artiste Collection.  I cut it on my Cricut Expression 2 at the largest size possible.  A retired bling brad holds it together, and a strip of Silver Shimmer Trim adds some sparkle too!

See these awesomely cute Twist Ties?  I inked them up with a sponge dauber to coordinate with my papers!  I used Sweet Leaf on one side and Sky Blue on the other!  :)

There is a wonderfully handy hidden magnetic closure on the box. 

I sure had accumulated a huge variety of tags by the end of the season last year!  I had so many that I was able to donate an entire box for my friend's silent auction to raise money for St. Baldrick's Foundation.  :)

Loved these sucker tags!

Well, I hope that I got your juices flowing with this little reminder.  What are you making for gifts this year? 

Damask Divas Laughing Lola Blog Hop!

Welcome to my blog!  I know you have been waiting for this!  It is finally time for another Damask Divas Blog Hop!  Be sure to tune in I am sure you are all enjoying the fantastic paper creations of my teammates by now, so let's get down to business...

(If any links aren't live yet, just check out the hop Oct. 1 when it will be free of kinks!)
If you hopped over from Traci's Blog then you are in the right place!  If not, you can find the lineup  HERE at the Damask Divas Blog. (Or you can just go back to Mandy's since hers is the first stop!)  ;)

The Laughing Lola Paper Packet is certainly a new favorite of mine from Close to My Heart's Autumn/Winter Idea Book.  I thought I would add a pop of Sunset CS to see if I could make her Halloween friendly, and I think it worked like a charm!  ;)

This fab little treat box cracker cut is on the Cricut Artiste Collection.  I used my ATG to put it together nice and tightly, then filled it with a Bath and Body PocketBac, decorated Hershey's Chocolate Nuggets, and Kisses! 

The Black Shimmer Trim is one of my all-time favorite embellishments to use for some serious bling.  Isn't the scallop cut on the ends of the box a great detail?!

Check out these Twist Ties I used to decorate the ends where the box gets tied shut...would you believe I was able to color them with my alcohol ink markers?  YEP!  I have also used my ink daubers to color them up as well!  :)

These Nugget candies are so fun to decorate with a simple scrap of 1 x 3 inch paper or cardstock.  I added this awesome spiderweb border found on the Artiste Cricut Cartridge to these as well.  SO easy!  The Dark Chocolate Kisses are are already the perfect color to go with my box!

I am going to give this nice little package to my kiddo's teacher to keep her happy and germ free for the Fall!  ;)

Thanks so much for hopping in today!  Your next stop on the hop (giggle) is Teri's Blog!  If you ever get lost, you can always check out the entire line-up over on the Damask Divas Blog.  Have a great time checking out all the creations and hope to see you here again soon!  :)

Cricut 101...with Chocolate! Time is running out on the August Stamp of the Month!

Happy weekend everyone!  I just had the revelation that it is the LAST DAY OF AUGUST!  GASP!

That means it is the very last day to get the August Stamp of the Month for FREE!!!  Or even get it AT ALL since it will be gone when August is over!!!!  You don't want to miss this little beauty...

I used this set at my Cricut 101 class last night for the projects we made...and it was so much fun!!!

Here is a picture of the projects we made as we learned about the difference between REAL and RELATIVE dial size...the ladies who came cut out the white CS pieces for each project on their own Cricut machines and did a fantastic job!  :)

The corrugated star is not available on my website any more, but the almond glitter glitz gel we used to glam it up is on there!  I do have a couple of packages of the corrugated shapes left, so let me know if you need one! 

These cuts are almost all from the Close to My Heart Cricut Art Philosophy Collection.  The adorable cherry is the only one from Artiste.  This super-simple happy birthday sentiment from Holiday Tags My Acrylix was MADE to go on a banner like this...

This stamp we added to our envelope is from A Chocolate Affair!  Loved how easy it was to trim out each part of the stamped image to make a yummy cupcake with a Pink Glitter Gem on top!

How cute would this tag be attached to a mini package of Oreo's?  SO fun!  Again, we used the August Stamp of the Month--only available through today!!!!  I adore the bronze shimmer trim touch at the bottom of the banner and the twist tie added to the top...

We used the Babycakes Paper Packet for the pattern papers in each of the projects...and the retired Dotty for You yellow polka a dot paper for the icing on the card!

Don't wait until tomorrow to grab this stamp of the month for FREE with any $50 purchase from my website...it won't be there!!!  Click on the link above to order it today along with any of the products I used in the projects seen here, or email me at mimimyselfandi.outlook.com to place an order.

Happy Birthday, Daddy! Bazinga!

Hi there!  I have a fun and trendy birthday card to share with you today!  I apologize profusely for not knowing any better, but my father LOVES the show Big Bang Theory.  I, however, have never even seen it!  Oooops!  I googled his favorite character, Sheldon, and all I could find was this word-- BAZINGA!

Well, there was only one thing to do!  Phone a friend!  Hahaha, I did, and thankfully she is a fan of the show too, so sent me the link to a great little Bazinga-fest on YouTube.  Thank you, Beth!

I decided I had only one choice....go BAZINGAS!  ;)  Here is the final crazy card I made for my daddi-o's birthday...

Lots of hip and happening stuff going on here!  Arrows are hot right now, so I had to use them.  One of the trendsetting new My Acrylix in the Autumn/Winter Close to My Heart Idea Book is One Way Borders.  I stamped one of the arrow themed borders in Whisper in both on the front of the card and on the inside to tie them together.  Also, I had recently invested in some sequins to expand my sparkle inventory--SO excited to use them!!!

Here is a quick tip for lining up your lettering...use a sticky note!  This totally works, trust me!

There is a pretty nifty "dirty" stamp in the Laughing Lola Workshop on the Go Cardmaking Kit.  I really like the added grunge to this card when I stamped it in Whisper Ink.

How do you like my Twist Tie lightning zig-zags?  I loved combining all the different elements into a totally new look for me!  The cork shapes are in the Color Ready Midtown Cork Shapes.   I just left them cork color.  ;)

  Just as I did on the front of the card, I used the Kraft Keyboard Alphabet to make the sentiment on the inside.

I hope he had one BAZINGA of a day!  :)