CardMonkey's Paper Jungle

Come join me as I play "Craft Roulette"

2020-09-03T12:05:00.003-04:00

Hello, CardMonkey friends! I hope your summer was healthy and restful. Are you ready to jump into cardmaking season? Yes, it's hard to believe that we'll be mailing out those Christmas cards in about 3 months. Meanwhile, I have some fun for you...

What is your favorite TV game show?

For me, it's Wheel of Fortune, one of television's longest running game shows that combines the old paper game of "Hangman" with the roulette wheel's game of chance. Spin to find your fortune, and guess a letter to complete the mystery sentence.

Next question: What is your favorite thing to do in your free time?

For me, no doubt, it's crafting, and specifically cardmaking. I love the feel of paper, the quick satisfaction of completing a card in one sitting, and the joy it gives not only to me in creating the art, but also that it delivers to the card's recipient when it makes it into the mail. (I'm bad at that!)

So imagine if you could combine the two loves -- game show and crafting. Well, imagine no more! Mary Gunn, a long-time crafter and paper genius, has created an online fun game show called "Craft Roulette." It runs weekly on Fridays at 7:30 p.m. Eastern/6:30 Central, and you can find it at www.craftroulette.live.

Click the picture above to be taken to a brief FUNN intro about Craft Roulette.

Why my buzz about "Craft Roulette"? If you'll tune into the show on Friday, September 4 (7:30 p.m. Eastern time), you'll see that I have been selected to be a Guest Crafter on that day's show. What this means is that I'll be put to the instant craft test, making a project, with the selected colors, theme and random bit, within the show's hour. My work will be shown along with that of the expert Mary Gunn -- founder and head professor at Funn University!

I've been playing along on Craft Roulette since Episode #23, when the spins of the wheel took me to purse, car or truck, coral color, and masking technique. Here is my project -- a Taco Purse Truck!

And on Episode #24, the wheel selected for us a basket, that had winter colors, that should include a wreath, and some tearing.

I made two projects for this one, a card, as well as a torn paper basket. Here they are:

Finally, during Episode #25 when CTMH Consultant Katy Taylor was the Guest Crafter, the wheel picked a building or house as its element, fall colors, a collage of some sort, and rock-and-roll stamping technique. I made a pop-up box card, as well as a standard A2 card:

You'll see both of the Episode #25 cards featured on Friday's episode, along with all of the other fabulous projects other players have entered. We previewed them on Monday on Mary's blog, and I will say, they are just terrific. Come get inspired.

Tune in on Friday, September 4 at 7:30 p.m. Eastern (6:30 p.m. Central), and every Friday, at www.craftroulette.live, and play along. Hope to see you there!! And thanks, Mary Gunn, for the FUNN invitation to join you live.

One Sheet Wonder - A Tutorial

2020-04-21T21:49:00.001-04:00

My darling "frontline," Emily

Oh my friends, I've been meaning to keep up with this blog, but time always slips away from me. Let me try again.

This time, I am doing so because I have a wonderful group of women who have frequently come to my card classes that I hold at Creative Inkling (222 N. York Road, Hatboro, PA 19040). Typically, my classes are held on the third Wednesday of every month, from 6 to 8 p.m. Just as I announced a second class -- this one to be held on a weekday afternoon -- the world suddenly shut down due to Coronavirus/COVID-19.

Social distancing became the norm, and we all started

wearing masks. And while the shop and retreat at Creative Inkling was shut down by mandate, Edie and Kelsey Malin (part of the wonderful full-time crew at CI), got special permission to use the studio space to make/donate face masks for care providers throughout the country.

My card classes have kept up ...and even increased, as so many of us have been looking for a creative outlet and safe social connectivity. We now do our classes on ZOOM, a live internet platform. And we typically hold these classes on Wednesday evenings, from 6 to 8 p.m. As I catch up, I'll be showing off some of the cards that were designed for these classes.

Okay, that intro behind us, our next class is tomorrow night (Wednesday, April 22) at 6 p.m., and it's FREE!! That's because you're going to be doing most of the work -- and the supplies will come from your stash! We're learning "One Page Wonders", aka, "One Sheet Wonder."

And you're invited to follow along!

A "One Page Wonder" is where a papercrafter has created a template that uses just one sheet of 12" x 12" designer paper (that's one-sided or double-sided) that allows a crafter to cut and create pieces of that paper to serve as components in making as many standard-sized (A2) cards as possible. The cards come out "naked" (unadorned, or non-embellished), and ready for the crafter to make the cards her own. So much depends on the paper that is chosen for this project. But let's get started; feel free to leave comments or questions and I'll be happy to address them.

Here are my "naked cards" for the April 22 class:

And here they are, all "dressed":

Here is my template for this class:

(Feel free to copy/paste, open/print, and have fun with my free template!)

Instructions: Start by cutting the 4" wide column on the left. Mark on the back of each piece which card (#1 - #11) and which piece (A-D) this piece represents. You can mark in pencil or on a Post-It Note, just in case you decide to flip over the paper and use the reverse side of it instead of the front. The adventure is YOURS!

Next, from the balance of the paper -- across the top -- cut the 4" horizontal strip, and then the pieces in that strip. Again, mark your pieces.

The next major cut is down the right hand column, where the strip is 5.25". That piece has 5 sub-pieces; cut and mark those next.

Finally, you're left with a strip that's 2-3/4" wide. Cut that one down into its four pieces, and mark them. You should have very little scrap. Don't throw it away -- you never know how you might use it to embellish a card.

Matting: It's your choice: Whether or not you mat your paper pieces is entirely up to you, and your scrap bin. You can mat each card in the same color (as I did) or you can switch it up to accent or match a color in your selected designer paper. OR you can use the paper pieces as they're cut, with no matting. It's entirely up to you!

Let's get down to the nitty-gritty:

Card 1 (pieces A, B, C):

I matted and arranged my pieces all across the top of the card, and I used the card as a side-opening vertical A2 card, with a sentiment on the bottom right.

If you'd rather, you can make it a horizontal card, with the pieces on the left-hand side and sentiment on the right.

Card 2 (pieces A and B):

I matted each of the two 1.75" pieces and placed one on each of the top and bottom. I created the card as a side-opening vertical card, with the sentiment in the center. The sentiment is diecut.

You can just as easily make this a horizontal card, with the greeting also in the center of the card.

I scribbled a black line, just because I wanted to.

Card 3 (four pieces, A-D):

This card uses the most designer paper, with four pieces, and the pieces are lifted over each other like glass shutters, just because. No other reason! Go ahead, experiment with your pieces, too, and let me see what you do!

The white sentiment stands out nicely on the medium to dark paper.

Card 4 (1 piece, A):

Here's the first horizontal card in this series. The piece is just one 1.5" strip across the top, with a large sentiment (die-cut) across the bottom. This card uses almost the least amount of designer paper. Can you guess the one that uses less?

Card 5 (2 pieces, A and B):

If you guessed this card as using the least amount of paper, you would have guessed correctly. Each piece is only 1/2" wide, but look how effective those slivers can be. Initially, I planned on making this a vertical card, but I liked this big sentiment with it.

Card 6 (one big piece, A):

So if you can decorate the edges, you can do the opposite, right? Here, this card fills the center "hole" with paper as an accent piece to a Cricut-cut shadowed label. The sentiment was stamped using a Stampin' Up! greeting, and embellished with hand-drawn squiggles and cuts from a scrap of paper on the top.

Card 7 (one slanted piece, A):

With this card, I covered most of the bottom with a slant-cut large piece of designer paper, leaving plenty of room up top for the large Cricut-cut poppy and a Happy Retirement die cut. (In looking at it more, perhaps that poppy could be slightly smaller, what do you think?!)

Card 8 (slanted the other way, one piece, A):

So again, let's do the opposite of what we've done previously. With this card, I made it a top-fold so the card base was cut lengthwise. That's supposed to look like a large ladybug because, well, I had the sentiment die, and I have no clue what occasion I'd send this card to cover. "Fancy That"??? Who even says that any more? It came in the sentiment pack. Can someone tell me -- maybe a thinking of you?

Card 9: (Two pieces, different sizes, A and B):

This balance of cuts is actually one that I would typically prefer, even with a slightly deeper bottom piece if the sentiment was smaller. This one I also used as a top-opening card, because it stands well with the wider base.

I'm really loving this paper, aren't you? It's by Stampin' Up!

Card 10: (one large piece, A):

Again, here the paper is the focal point on this card with a large (4"x 4") piece of designer paper. Use this as a focal point for a larger sentiment on a label. This one was cut on a Cricut, but label dies are very popular. Dress it up with a few snips of your mat cardstock, a flower, a leaf and a gem.

Card 11: (one large piece, A):

Once again, this is a card that I initially intended to be a vertical card with a small sentiment on the lower right, but I fell in love with how this thin Thank You die looked on a horizontal card. I just changed it up, added some more of those squiggly lines, and tah-dah, I'm done!

I hope you enjoyed this lesson in using a "One Page Wonder". Break it out whenever you need a quick dozen or so cards for your stash.

Hey, are you interested in our upcoming card classes? Drop me a line at cardmonkey@comcast.net, and let me know. For the time being, they are 100% online so they're available worldwide! They're free to watch, but if you want a kit with all you'll need to make the four cards in each class, it's $25 including shipping in the U.S.

I do have a favor to ask: If you have some prayers to drop on a frontline hero, please say a few for my daughter, Emily, who's pictured at the top of this post. She works not only as an Nurse Practitioner in a specialty surgical practice during the day, but she also works as an RN in the evenings in the ER of a local hospital -- the job she held before putting herself through night school ($$$) to earn her MSN/NP. She is exposed to COVID every day, and then goes home to her babies, my two grandchildren. She does all she can to protect them from any exposure to her germs -- stripping outside, putting her scrubs directly into a "sanitize" cycle, and a hot shower. But they need her ... as do I. Please pray for her safety, and that of her co-workers and fellow heroes. Thank you.

Interactive Card Series #2: Center Fold Display Card

2019-07-06T17:53:00.000-04:00

The outside front panel has fussy-cut flowers, along
with leaves on the side of the greeting banner.
I really like the waterfall of clear gems in two sizes.

Hi Everyone! How is your summer going?
Here in Southeastern Pennsylvania, we are hot and humid -- very typical weather for us in this part of the country for this time of year. What's unusual is that we have already had our FOURTH official "heat wave" and we're not even done with the first week of July. A heat wave is when the temperatures cross 90 degrees for four or more consecutive days.

And while my 55+ community (VFP - Villas at Five Ponds) has beautiful pools (indoors and outdoors) and a hot tub/spa, they are rendered unusable when Mother Nature sends her natural fireworks -- thunderstorms -- overhead. So the best thing to do is stay inside with the central air conditioning, and craft, right?

The inside view of my Center Fold Display Card. There's a sentiment mini-card
on the left inside panel, with room for your greeting and signature.

I'm getting my mojo back slowly but surely. It was cramped a bit due to some major spine surgery I had in the beginning of May. The worst part about recovery is that the nerve endings for my thighs were on fire, making sitting and crafting impossible. Thankfully, that passed after a couple of weeks. The best part about recovery is that I remember very little of the pain in the hospital or the first ten days afterwards, thanks to my surgeon's belief in pain management.

OK, that's me ... what about you? Have you been getting to those layouts waiting to be done, or the cards needing to be mailed? August is my heavy-hitting birthday month. I used to spend a boatload of money in August at the Hallmark Store, but now I try my best to make the cards I need, especially for those "cardworthy" friends and family -- you know, the ones who won't think it's weird or cheap to receive a handmade card.

First up, I unwrapped some brand new Stampin' Up! Designer Paper called "Magnolia Lane" and made this "Center Fold Display Card." I saw a similar card in this design made by another Stampin' Up consultant, and created my own template for it. Here it is:

If you are a Cricut user, you may want to access the file I created for this template. The base of the card is 12" long, so you'll have to turn the base lengthwise and cut it using a longer (24") mat, at least for that part. I think the base comes up that way when you go to cut it on your Cricut Explore or Maker.

I know that not all of my readers are Cricut users, or may have other electronic machines. So here are some easy cut instructions with measurements that you should be able to adapt or to create your own cutting files:

Please remember me if you'd like to purchase some "Magnolia Lane" paper from Stampin' Up! The paper truly is beautiful, and at just $11.50 for 12 sheets of double-sided designer paper, that's less than $1.00 per sheet!! I still haven't figured out how to be sure that the link to the product links to ME as your SU Demonstrator, so when you search for a Demo, please indicate that you'd like product credit to go to ELLEN JARVIS in WARMINSTER, PA. Here is the link to the paper itself:

https://www.stampinup.com/ecweb/product/149484/magnolia-lane-designer-series-paper

I'd appreciate your support of my endeavor with Stampin' Up! very much. Those who have known me for a while know the story of how I came to be with Stampin' Up!, and how I am building my business from scratch ...again.

Enjoy your summer! And watch out for new posts as I try to reinvigorate my blog. It's been a long time coming!!

CardMonkey's Interactive Card Series #1: Card with Folded Well

2019-02-12T16:11:00.003-05:00

In an effort to make my blog FUN again, I'm unveiling a new "Interactive Card Series". I've been making cards that are far from the standard single-fold card ... I just love pop-ups, cards with movement, etc. To me, these are cards where your recipients or customers can never say, "Oh, I've seen something just like that at the Dollar Store." (UGH!!!)

So let's take a look at my Card with Folded Well. Below is the video I posted on Facebook Live to unveil this card. The "well" in the card can hold just about anything that is flat and fits -- a note inside, a package of seeds, sequins, a gift card, you name it!

Here is the Card Map for this card:

One of the things that I am working on doing for my readers is making a Cricut cut file for my Interactive Cards. To use this file, you'll need to be using Cricut Design Space, with an Explore or Maker. This file will automatically cut and score the design shown above, reducing the time spent on making this card down really significantly. Here is the LINK (click here).

You can decorate each of the panels (left and right) if you'd like, and not have an element to hold this "well" shut. You could also put a "belly band" around the card to hold it shut. OR, you can put a piece of decorated cardstock (4.25"w x 5.5"h) glued onto the top, with a "zipper" in the middle (as shown in the video), or with ribbons holding it shut, etc. Let your creative wings fly!

Here is the card cover I designed for one of the cards I show in the video:

For the sunflowers, I found a single sunflower in Cricut Design Space, and welded two other sunflowers in a "vine." I also altered a tag shape to include a shadow; the sentiment is stamped. The bumblebee is cut from a Cricut DS shape; a favorite part of the bee would be her wings -- I backed them in Vellum and painted them with Wink of Stella gold. It has a zip die in the center from Technique Tuesday.

For the inside, I stamped some sunflowers into the upper left corner of a card, and glued some stripes to match the front's tag. And the gift included in the well is a package of sunflower seeds. I made this for one of my dear friends who is facing some surgery this week.

I'd love to see any cards you've made like this -- please find me on Facebook (click that link) or send an e-mail to cardmonkey@comcast.net.

For supplies (including that pretty yellow print paper, above), please come over and shop with me at Stampin' Up! Click the SU words there for a link to my shop site, or visit: cardmonkey.stampinup.net.

THANKS!

New Year, New Me ... Come along for the ride!

2019-01-04T15:53:00.001-05:00

Oh, Friends ...

There is so much to catch up on that I barely know where to start. So rather than go back to the beginning of my crafty-goodness time, let me start with today: I am now an Independent Designer for Stampin' Up!, one of the world's greatest and oldest companies for papercrafting and stamping.

It's a brand new world for me, and I'm looking forward to SU's beautiful approach to paper design, colors and omg lovely stamps!

If you need particulars, I'd be happy to share them with you privately, but for now, let me just say that after 7 years or so with a competitor (Close To My Heart), CTMH Corporate interpreted their rules in a way that caused me to have to make an untenable choice. If I wanted to teach my cardmaking classes freely, I could not be a CTMH Consultant, and I was terminated in October 2018.

Now it's time to brush off that pain and start anew. Has anyone seen where I put my mojo???!

So for now, let me just say you'll see some straightening up of this blog as I try to reinvigorate this way of communication, and to show you new cards, fun styles, and blossoming creativity.

I'm waiting for my new Stampin' Up! kit to arrive, so in the meantime, I'll post some cards I've made as I come across them. Enjoy life, my friends.... It is much too short to do otherwise.
~Ellen

Color Your World with Re-Inkers!

2018-06-15T10:40:00.000-04:00

Let's talk re-inkers. We all have them, but other than using them to re-ink those well-loved stamp pads, did you know that you can use them for many, many other purposes?

One of my favorite sources of tips and product news for Close To My Heart is it's blog, "Make It From Your Heart." I highly recommend subscribing to it. In today's blog post there, you can find the tip I show you below, as well as several other great ways to use your re-inkers.

So you'll want to jump over to today's post once you're done here. Here's that link: https://blog.closetomyheart.com/2018/06/14/a-thing-or-two-about-re-inkers/

Check out this terrific card made for Father's Day (this Sunday!!). I love how watered-down re-inker makes the splatter background, or using a water brush with a few drops of re-inker can "paint" a color like the Juniper on this card (lower part).

And check out that multi-colored "stamp pad" used to stamp the sentiment from the "Rad Dad" stamp set....

I'll give you a hint: Stack up some Baby Wipes (four were used in this photo) and randomly drip complementing colors of re-inkers onto the wipes. Here, CTMH used Juniper, Sapphire and Crystal Blue.

(Be sure to protect your work surface with an All-Purpose Mat, as that ink can stain your table top.)

Are there other ways that you use your re-inkers? Let me know, in a comment here, for your chance to win a re-inker in the color of your choice!

Amazing YOU! It's National Scrapbooking Month

2018-05-08T09:02:00.000-04:00

Happy National Scrapbooking Month!

Now, you all know by now that I'm not much of a scrapbooker -- otherwise I'd be known as ScrapMonkey, right? -- but I DO love my cards, and I especially love finding creative ways to use papers and kits made for scrapbooking.

This month, Close To My Heart has a fabulous kit that includes designer two-sided paper, complementing cardstock, punched cut-outs and oooh-la-la, a stamp set. Check this out!

For me, this paper collection is the perfect picker-upper as we head into summer from what felt like a very long winter. Certainly, there aren't any palm trees in Pennsylvania but we do travel to tropical islands from time to time, and we can dream, right?

Let's take a closer look at the stamp set. It has several images that you can use independent of the kit, and even, independent of the tropics:

See those pretty flowers (hibiscus, I think)? Many of my friends grow those in planters on their patios. There's also one stamp that says "amazing Family vacation". Cut it apart -- YES, you can do that with acrylic stamps, just use sharp scissors and care, and look at what you can make with this -- a congratulations card!

I stamped the larger hibiscus flower in Sapphire and Crystal Blue CTMH Exclusive Inks, the smaller flower in Smoothie ink, and the leaves in Fern ink. The "Amazing" part of the large stamp set was also stamped in Crystal Blue. I also added "Congratulations" from an older, retired stamp set (C1673: Some Kinda Wonderful), stamped in Sapphire.

The technique in cutting the word "YOU" from the center of the card and elevating it is called the "Eclipse" method. There are many ways that crafters describe how they do this technique; I'm not sure there's a right way or a wrong way, as long as you get the same results.

For me, I stamp my paper in the pattern that I want. I then cut the word out of the print I've made, using CTMH's Block Alphabet Thin Cuts.  Save every piece you cut out, including the center of the letter O.

Next, create your "eclipse" by using Craft Foam. I purchased the foam I use at Michael's; it comes in a package of multi-colored foam that's about 1/32nd of an inch thick. Each sheet is 8.5"x11".

Cut a piece that's wider than your letter die cuts are high. In the case of the CTMH Block Alphabet Thin Cuts, that's 1.5" high, so I cut a strip of foam that's 2" wide from the larger sheet.

Next, cover that piece of foam with double-sided adhesive tape. I use 6" wide tape from Elizabeth Crafts. Yes, it's expensive -- almost $50 for a large roll -- but believe me, it lasts forever and it's really worth it! Cut your letters (YOU, here) from the foam with its adhesive, using a Cuttlebug or other die-cutting machine.

You'll need to mount your stamped card (that now has the YOU cut out of the center) onto a background color. I used CTMH's Sapphire cardstock. Peel the adhesive backing off of your cut letters, and affix them in place of the missing letters on your stamped card. After that, peel the top of the adhesive paper off of the letters to expose the stickiness, and attach the letters that you've saved on top of that, like a foam sandwich. Don't forget to adhere (with glue) the center of your O. All done!

Have a question on the Eclipse Method I used, or about any CTMH product? Please don't hesitate to contact me at cardmonkey@comcast.net, or via a comment left here.

Thanks for stopping by!

Tip of the Day: How to Resticky Your Cricut Mat

2018-04-24T14:19:00.005-04:00

Cricut users: Isn't it frustrating when you've designed or found your Cricut cut, lined up your paper, hit "load" on your Cricut then "start" and suddenly, your paper starts to drift over your mat, ruining your cut?

Ahhhh, it's the dreaded mat that's grown fuzzy or unsticky over time. I've got a quick and easy way to not only clean your mat, but also to apply some additional repositionable glue to the surface to make your mats as good as new.

Here is a link to purchase the Bonding Memories Broad Tip Glue Pen ($7.95 ea + tax/shipping):

https://cardmonkey.closetomyheart.com/retail/Product.aspx?ItemID=171

Tri-Fold Shutter Card: Happy Mother's Day

2018-04-22T17:13:00.000-04:00

Today, I'll be adding one of my favorite cards to the Tutorial Section of my blog (see sidebar, links).

It's this simple but stand-out card called a Tri-Fold Shutter card. The base for the card is cut from a little less than half of a sheet of 12" x 12" cardstock, and then decorated as you wish.

Here, I've made a Mother's Day card for my beautiful mother, using "Gimme Some Sugar" and the softness of Pixie and Blush pink papers.

My Mom ... If ever there was a woman for whom Mother's Day was meant, it's my Mom. She is the kindest, most patient, gracious, loving and caring person who was ever. Truly. She is creative, talented and so smart, made even more so because she makes everyone else around her feel smarter just for being in her company.

Mom met Dad while she was in nursing school and Dad was a fraternity boy at University. They met on a blind date, and the rest, is history. They were married 65-1/2 years when Dad left for Heaven. Mom's love and dedication to my Dad, even when Alzheimer's robbed my Dad of his gentle spirit, was so very tender.

She loved Dad endlessly, though toward his end, the disease made Dad more difficult to love. His passing in this horrid way robbed Mom of her "happily ever after," and honestly, it hurt in ways none of us could fathom. Rest in peace, Dad; we'll take good care of Mom for all the rest of her days, which we pray will be many.

This is my favorite picture of Mom, taken at the wedding reception when my daughter, Emily was married in 2008. Isn't she simply gorgeous??! The jewelry she wore, she made, and she likely had a hand in modifying the gown she wore, too. That's my Dad photobombing in the background, such a handsome guy.

I love making cards for my Mom ... she is definitely "cardworthy", as she appreciates each of my creations, much as she always aided and abetted my creativity throughout my life.

Thank you, Mom, for your love and role modeling.

Here are directions on how to make your own Tri-Fold Shutter Cards:

Cut your background paper to suit your desire, or to match whatever paper you're using to decorate your card. In my sample, above, I have used Daisy White cardstock from Close To My Heart.

The base of the card is 5.5" high x 12" wide, with folds as shown on the red dashed lines. Cut in between the folds. Note which folds are "mountain" versus "valley" folds -- self-explanatory, I hope.

Then, cut your decorative papers to these dimensions:

Decorate your card as you wish. For the right hand panel, I "fussy-cut" a Be-YOU-tiful Picture My Life (PML) Card from CTMH, which matches the Gimme Some Sugar paper line. For this card, I stamped a plain white panel in the center, and stamped the sentiment and flowers, to match.

On the front panel, I elongated a Floral Wreath design from the Cricut Design Space, making it go from round to flat oval. I cut it twice, once in Pixie and once in Tangerine, and just trimmed off the extra Tangerine flowers that I wanted to use to highlight the wreath. I backed it with an oval I also cut in Design Space, as the custom size is larger than the Thin Cuts I have for ovals, from CTMH.

For those who use Cricut Design Space, here is a file to make the front floral wreath: https://design.cricut.com/#/design/91249168

If you'd like to replicate my card, you'll need to HURRY and buy yourself some "Gimme Some Sugar" paper from my Close To My Heart shopping site. The paper retires on April 30!

Join in April ... $75 becomes $339!

2018-04-10T14:39:00.000-04:00

Today, I am mailing four of my friends these cards that I made last night. In them, I present an opportunity like none other. It's an opportunity to invest $75 in herself, to join my Close To My Heart team in April.

For that investment, she'll receive $339 in CTMH products, which includes a $50 shopping spree for the products of her choosing in either our current catalogs -- Annual Inspirations or Seasonal Expressions 1 -- OUR our newest catalog that will be released to the public on May 1. That's right ... she'll get a sneak peek, as well as some of the brand new products.

Would YOU like to join too? I'd LOVE to have you join The Paper Jungle team. We're small and mighty, full of creative ideas and fun, as well as the BEST products in the paper crafting industry.

The cost to join is just $75. For that, you'll get:

... The fabulous New Consultant kit, valued at approx $200.

... $50 in CTMH Cash (formerly known as Select Product Credits), to use instantly to purchase the products* from our catalogs that you like best. (*includes Paper, Workshops Your Way, Stamp Sets, Inks, Acrylic Blocks, Markers, Picture My Life cards.)

... The Stamps of the Month for May, June, July and August -- each valued at $17.95, and even *I* can't get these in April!

... A brand new CTMH Photo Trimmer, not available until May 1 to the public (it's a new catalog item).

Let's look a little more at the card I made last night:

For the background of this card, I used the beautiful "Gimme Some Sugar" current CTMH paper. I cut scalloped pieces in Bashful and Juniper, as well as a scalloped tag, both using my Cricut Maker and Cricut's Design Space software.

Here is the file I created for the scalloped border:

https://design.cricut.com/#/design/89805801

I purchased the scalloped tag (Alphalicious Cartridge, Design Space) so it's not shareable online, sorry.

For the leaves attached to the tag, I fussy cut them from the Gimme Some Sugar paper. For the sentiment, I stamped using Juniper ink on the White Daisy paper that I edged in Pixie ink; the sentiment is from the A1210 "Created to Create" stamp set, shown here...

Do you see it there ... "Creativity is a way of life" over on the right side. YES, did you know that you can carefully trim out the sentiments you want from a full-background text stamp like this? All of CTMH's stamps are made from an acrylic polymer and are easy to cut using CTMH's sharp micro-tipped scissors. I do it all the time!

In FACT, if you join my Paper Jungle team in April, mention this blog post, and I will send this stamp set -- uncut, brand new -- FREE.

Here is a direct link to join CTMH's PAPER JUNGLE team, with little ol' me as its manager:

https://cardmonkey.closetomyheart.com/ctmh/what-we-do/be-a-consultant.aspx

Please be in touch with me if I can answer any questions!

Ellen: cardmonkey@comcast.net.

Every Friday in April: Watch for Fab Faves Sales @ CTMH

2018-04-06T09:29:00.002-04:00

Friends and Followers, I've got some good news to share!

On every Friday in April beginning TODAY, Close To My Heart will be holding FLASH SALES with 25% off your FAVORITE products.

The sales are scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. Eastern, and are expected to last 24 hours or until items sell out. Be sure to visit my shopping site: www.cardmonkey.closetomyheart.com to check out these fantastic "Fab Faves" every Friday in April.

Thank you!

Ellen

YAY! I'm Baaaack, with a fun card!

2018-04-02T15:59:00.001-04:00

Hello, Friends.

Long time, no see! So very much has happened since my last post too long ago. Without belaboring it too much, let me just say that in 2017, hubby John and I both survived life-threatening health issues, so social media had to take a backseat.

Also sharing that backseat were my card classes. But we're baaaaack, and I am truly going to endeavor to make this blog better than ever. Thank you for finding me again. Without further ado, let's get to the business of today's card!

In April, I'm going to be making cards that feature some of my favorite things from the current Close To My Heart's (CTMH*) products. Many of these will be retiring in July, so please don't hesitate to buy those you'd like to use in the future. Yes, a new Annual Inspirations catalog will be introduced at the CTMH Convention, June 28-30 in Las Vegas!

I made this card today to celebrate coming back and resuming this blog. I really missed it, and you! And also, cardmaking, for it's my therapy. My mood is often reflected in my cards, and today, I'm feeling it. You know ... it!

So to make this card, I first created the lively background by first splashing Close To My Heart's (CTMH*) White Daisy cardstock with colors from the CTMH Watercolor Palette, using a CTMH Waterbrush (medium) and an old toothbrush.

Let the paper dry; you can hasten this by blowing it dry using a CTMH Craft Heater, or a hairdryer. Trim your paper down to fit an A2 card -- I cut it to 4.0" high x 5.25" wide.

Next, line up the letters from CTMH's Alphabet Thin Cuts onto the paper, centering the letters and carefully lining them up to be straight. I tape the letters down using blue painter's tape from any home improvement store, in the paint section. Just tape lightly, and run it through your die cutting/embossing machine. (I used a Cuttlebug, and its A, B and C plates.)

Now here's the fun part -- making this into a "Shaker Card," with sequins inside to add to the party!

Using Cricut's Design Space software and cutting with my Cricut Maker, I made an A2 card frame that is 1/2" wide around the perimeter. For this card, I wanted the cardboard to be about 3 layers thick, so I made the file to have three copies of the frame. Here is the file for you to download and use as you wish: https://design.cricut.com/#/design/88985193.

I cut old cardboard that I recycle from cereal boxes. So layer the frames, printed side down, and gluing them together to create a stack of three. Top the stack with a piece of acetate trimmed to fit/cover the opening. While you can purchase acetate (I buy at Amazon), I also use recycled acetate from packaging like bakery or salad bar boxes. :)

I covered the base of the card with the light side of CTMH's unique two-toned cardstock; I used Lagoon. Next, add a layer of multi-colored sequins -- enough to be happy, not so much to suffocate, right? Put a layer of glue all around the perimeter and affix the stacked layer of cardboard/acetate. Now, add your painted/cut piece with YAY! on it.

I also added a CTMH Title Banner below the "YAY!" (optional) to balance the die cut. You could also just stamp, "Congratulations," or more -- even "Happy Birthday", Happy Anniversary, etc.

Don't you just love an all-purpose, fun card?

See you back here soon!

Ellen/"CardMonkey"
www.cardmonkeyspaperjungle.com
Shop: www.cardmonkey.ctmh.com

Proud to be an Independent Consultant for Close To My Heart, and the Manager of its Paper Jungle Team. Ask me how you too can join CTMH and my team, and earn discounts on the products you purchase. I am also happy to come to your home to host a CTMH Gathering and personalized card class, for those local to me in southeastern Pennsylvania! Contact me at cardmonkey@comcast.net.

CTMH Stamp of the Month Blog Hop for August '17

2017-08-01T21:00:00.000-04:00

Welcome to the Close To My Heart Stamp of the Month Blog Hop! Consultants across the globe will be featuring August's Stamp of the Month, which is called "School Year" (S1708), a set of 9 My Acrylix stamps.

If you have come here from Gina's blog, you are on the right path! The blog hop is a circle, so you can start here and work your way all around. If you get lost along the way, you’ll find the complete list of participating consultants on Melinda’s Blog.

This month, we have nearly two dozen (!!) Close To My Heart Consultant/Bloggers sharing their creations that feature this month's Stamp of the Month and other great CTMH products. To follow along, just click on the link at the end of the post on each blog to move to the next one.

Okay, here we go!

As a cardmaker, I found this month's Stamp of the Month a bit more challenging to incorporate into a card -- but I could think of a zillion ways I will eventually use it in my grandkids' scrapbooks.

BUT ... there are certainly components I'll use in some cards henceforth. See that cute frame (upper left of the picture at right)?

That will definitely be useful, as will the cute hearts, and the quote bubble.

This is the card I came up with; I'm planning on giving it to my granddaughter Charlotte when she starts Grade 1 later this month (!!!).

A little creativity and ingenuity went a long way to styling this card. I incorporated the pencil from the "School Year" stamp set as a fence. The frames became, well, frames. I used pieces of the school data stamp (upper right in the stamp set picture) to make the backdrop for the frame on the left, by cutting the stamp apart and using the lines as horizontal accents, and then I used the "Back to School" script text stamped repeatedly on the slant.

Did you know: You can cut apart any of the Close To My Heart stamps, using a sharp pair of scissors like our fine Micro-Tip Scissors? Just be careful to cut along the recessed areas (not raised) and DO save the pieces you cut off, in case you want to use them for another project.

I used the Charlotte lookalike girl from the CTMH's "School Kids" stamp set, along with the school house picture and the apple on the frame at left. For the frame on the right side of the card, I heat-embossed the words "Have Fun!" on CTMH Black cardstock, using white detail powder to resemble chalk on a board. I cut the cute flowers using CTMH's Exclusive Cricut "Flower Market" cartridge.

The card itself employed a "Side Step" pattern to give extra dimension to the design. I cut the card itself from CTMH Kraft paper that I lined in sections with matted pieces of CTMH cardstock for added stability. The card's finished dimensions are A2 (4.25"wide by 5.5"high).

This card used the following CTMH products:

Cardstocks: Kraft, Daisy White, Ruby, Lemon, Black, Willow

Exclusive Inks: Black, Ruby

Stamp sets: School Year (S1708) and School Kids (D1706)

ShinHan TouchTwin markers: Carmine, Golden Yellow, Mahogany, Pastel Peach, Leaf Green

Cricut Cartridge: "Flower Market"

Supplies: Versamark Stamp Pad, White Embossing Powder, foam mounting tape, Tombow adhesive

Tools: Fiskar Paper Trimmer, Craft Heater, Micro-Tip Scissors

Non-CTMH: White accents pen, twine, brad

Remember, the August Stamp of the Month is only available through August 31, 2017. Its normal price is $17.95, but during August, you can qualify to purchase it for only $5.00 when you place an order of $50 or more. Please contact your CTMH Independent Consultant, or if you don't have a Consultant and want to shop with me, you can do so by going to www.cardmonkey.ctmh.com.

Now "Hop" on over to Krista's Blog to see her work. Be sure to visit all the Consultants at their Blogs to get some great ways to use "School Year" in your cards, scrapbooks or other crafting projects.

Thanks for visiting!

Stampaganza Sale continues through July 31 ... AND some stamps are RETIRING then, too! Shop Now

2017-07-25T13:19:00.002-04:00

The Close To My Heart calendar and catalogs for 2016-17 are coming to a close which means great things ahead -- not only new products (stamps, colors, inks, papers, oh my!) but also great sales on retiring products.

Today I am featuring all of the stamp sets that are retiring as of July 31, 2017. And between NOW and July 31, you can take advantage of a super sale STAMPAGANZA to BUY 2, GET ONE of same/lesser value FREE!!!

Here are the 31 stamp sets (plus all of the state stamps) that are retiring:

Here is one of my favorite projects I've made, using Safari Ballet (A1180). The valise is a die cut by Sizzix. Inside, there is a fold out/accordion album for baby statistics and photos. The necklace detaches for Momma to wear to celebrate her new little one.

Another favorite using the Safari Ballet stamp set (A1180) is this cute mini-album I made with a window featuring the cute giraffe and hippo from this stamp set. I left the pages in this album blank (and there are plenty of them!) for Mom and Dad to use as a journal or album for their new addition.

I have also made cards using this stamp set and many of the other retiring stamp sets. There are just a few here that I don't (yet!) have so I too will be taking advantage of the sale to complete my collection.

Shop now through July 31 to get this great value on retiring sets ... and also get them before they are going, going, GONE!

Visit www.cardmonkey.ctmh.com to buy now!

Sale is on ANY stamp set (not JUST retiring products!) in ANY current CTMH catalog -- that's the Seasonal Expression 2, or the Annual Inspirations 2016-2017. It does NOT include any "specials" like our "Live Beautifully" stamp set that is not in any catalog. (We Consultants have a sneak peek of the stamps coming soon in the new Annual Inspirations -- and those are not on sale, darn it!)

Edited to add, for your shopping pleasure:

Here are all of the retiring stamp sets (other than the states), with active shopping links (click on the stamp sets' caption).

A1180 - Safari Ballet

A1185 - Friendly Wishes

A1193 - Wreath

A1195 - Lovely Leaves

A1198 - Hi Friend (Also available in Spanish and French)

B1480 - Diploma Day

B1531 - Racecar Birthday

B1533 - Circus Birthday

B1535 - Hooked on You

B1541 - Love Your Face

B1543 - Get Better

B1547 - Wedding Wishes

C1605 - Happy To Be Friends (Also available in Spanish and French)

C1608 - Brushstrokes

C1612 - Shower Flowers

C1619 - So Many Smiles

C1631 - Birthday Princess

C1660 - Happy For You (Also available in Spanish and French)

C1662 - Wise Guy Birthday (Also available in Spanish and French)

C1664 - Swirly Seashells

C1666 - Homegrown

C1668 - Baby Bundle

D1646 - Finding the Words (Also Available in Spanish and French)

D1660 - Ink Blot

D1667 - Balloon Wishes

D1668 - Charming Cascades

D1700 - Way to Go

D1701 - Plan On It

D1702 - Capture This (Also Available in Spanish and French)

D1707 - Let's Go

D1711 - True Love

Stampaganza Blog Hop!

2017-07-10T13:59:00.000-04:00

Tina Sutton,
Scattered Hearts leader

It's my pleasure to be participating in this Stampaganza Blog Hop by the Scattered Hearts Team, hosted by Tina Sutton -- our fearless leader and one of the top Close To My Heart (CTMH) superstars.

You should have arrived here from Heather's blog. If you have jumped here and just discovered our blog hop, feel free to check the participants' list at the starting point at Tina's blog at missgingerdots.com to find the complete list of blog hop participants.

On with the show!

Tina asked hop participants to show current CTMH products and stamp sets, and to offer a reminder that in July, Stampaganza is back!

What's a Stampaganza? This is where you can buy two of the current CTMH stamp sets and get a third of equal or lesser value FREE!! That's right -- this includes any stamp set shown in the 2016-2017 Annual Inspirations or the Seasonal Expressions 2 catalogs.

And here is another reminder: those catalogs and all of the paper in them (along with most of the current stamp sets) will retire on July 31, so get them now!

For my project, I made my favorite style of card (yes, again!) -- a pop-up box card -- but this time, I used the current "No Worries" line of CTMH papers with its beachy feel, along with the complementing "No Worries - Cardmaking" stamp set (C1679). I made it with a retirement in mind, but for no one in particular ... and within a few minutes of showing it off on Facebook, my daughter Emily asked if she could claim it for a retiring nurse who is heading for the beach.

To make it, I used my Pop Up template that you can find on my tutorials site, link here. The finished card folds flat to 5.5" x 5.5". I cut the base of the card CTMH's using Sapphire cardstock. I used a center strut to hold the embellishments, which were stamped using Sapphire Exclusive Inks by CTMH. My favorite detail on the card is the braided twine tied around the box, holding two anchors. I cut the anchors from silver metallic paper, using my Cricut.

(Shhhh... Want to hear a sneak about the upcoming new CTMH Annual Inspirations catalog? CTMH will now be carrying gold and silver metallic papers, beginning August 1! And guess what?! There will be a new Cricut cartridge available in both physical and digital models. I can't wait!! Ooooh, and -- if you're in the market for a new Cricut Explore Air machine -- you'll want to know more about the new Hostess Rewards incentives that CTMH will be offering starting on August 1. Ask me!)

I make all sorts of Pop-Up Box Cards, and frankly, they are my biggest custom seller.

Last week, I made this wedding Pop-Up Box Card on special order.

The card uses current Ruby cardstock, and retired CTMH paper called "For Always." On the back of the card, I used a current stamp set called "Wedding Wishes" (B1547, $9.95) and send this reminder: you can get this stamp set and all other current stamp sets at B2GO pricing, through July 31.

Also during "Stampaganza," you can also get a fantastic set of 12 month-specific D-sized stamps called "Word Puzzle" for the unbelievable bargain price of just $143.60.

But wait! Want to save THAT amount too?

You can get the "Word Puzzle Bundle" for FREE (!!!) by either hosting a qualifying party OR enrolling to be a new CTMH Consultant this month, and achieving $300 in sales by August 31. I'm telling you ... either will be easy-peasy when you see the new CTMH Annual Inspirations catalog. Contact your favorite CTMH Consultant for more information on how to join, or how to host a party either in person or virtually!

I'm sure you'll want to see more inspiration, so hop on over to the next blog stop with Jean McNulty. And don't forget, shop now during Stampaganza, July 1-31 with your favorite CTMH Consultant. (Most of us will have a "Shop Now" button on the sidebar of our blogs ... look for them!)

Lost or need more info? Check out the full list of hop participants at our host site, with Scattered Hearts' team leader, Tina Sutton. Click HERE.

Long Time, No See!

2017-04-14T10:57:00.000-04:00

Hello, Friends and Followers!

Gosh, I didn't realize how long it's been since I last posted on my blog. Let me catch you up a bit:

In January 2017, hubby John and I, along with daughter Emily and her husband Josh, boarded the Adventure of the Seas for a week-long Caribbean cruise that turned into a bit of a nightmare.

John apparently contracted Influenza A (despite a flu shot) and then had a post-flu inflammation of his quadriceps muscles (thighs) that caused him to be suddenly unable to walk. He spent 3 weeks in the hospital, followed by 3 weeks in rehab/nursing home; he came home February 27 and has been working to get his strength back. What a journey it has been, for both of us!

Necessarily, my crafting mojo has had to take a very back seat. I was able to get in just ONE cardmaking class in February, just before my beloved "Scatter Joy Center for the Arts" closed permanently at the end of February. I will always be grateful to Kathy Davis and Bill Lessa, for believing in me and giving me the venue to teach cardmaking to community residents.

Meanwhile, I made the difficult decision to step away from my Close To My Heart business and "Paper Jungle" team so that I could re-group under a new upline. Everyone's needs are different, and I found over the past four years that I needed to be part of a larger team (upline and above) that inspired me and recognized me and my team for our achievements. CTMH requires that when a Consultant step down as I did, she must wait out 3 months before rejoining. UGH, it's the hardest part -- but the distractions of John's health made the timing bearable.

I'll be rejoining CTMH on May 1, and will be happy to announce some new classes and challenges then. In the meantime, if you've ever considered joining, please come along with me on this VERY fun journey, and grow with us! Drop a line to me at cardmonkey@comcast.net for more info. OH, and there's a terrific join-up special happening in May, whether you're a returning former Consultant, or if you're brand new. Let me show you...

May 2017 is "National Papercrafting Month." In celebration, CTMH has developed a brand new and VERY special paper pack called "Live Beautifully." This layout kit (shown below) is FREE to everyone who joins or rejoins CTMH in May 2017. This is a $44.95 USD value!! FREE!

In addition to getting this beautiful layout kit, New Consultants receive a medium organizer chock-full of key supplies for crafting, catalogs to get your parties started, PLUS $50 of "Select Product Credit" to buy CTMH goodies of your choosing. All this for only $75 joiner fee. Seriously! It's like being paid to join! I can't wait to get back, as I love, love, love the papers being introduced on May 1 in the "Seasonal Expressions 2" catalog, and then there will be MORE goodies coming with the new annual catalog this summer. (Yes, I am an addict. A craft hoarder. I need a 12"x12" step program!)

OH, and I'm just waiting for a new location to firm up before I announce a MONTHLY cardmaking class that will be local to me. Stay tuned!

Santa's riding the City Sidewalks

2016-12-15T12:26:00.001-05:00

Just dropping in to say hello to my friends, family and followers!

I'm digging out some current Close To My Heart holiday paper to make a few cards before the season totally overwhelms me. This one is a tri-fold shutter card pattern, combining with some Red Shimmer Trim and some bling.

The paper is called "City Sidewalks," and it coordinates with the digital-only Cricut cartridge that had been sold by CTMH. Had been? Yup, it's sold out. And there are only 16 more days to get your holiday papers too, as the Holiday Expressions catalog retires on 12/31 and ... YES! ... that means a new catalog is around the corner.

Would YOU like to receive a Seasonal Expressions CTMH catalog? Just leave a comment here with a way for me to contact you to get your address, and I'll send one right out to you. WAIT until you see the new products -- papers, stamps, AND more!

December's Disney Pixar Blog Hop

2016-12-03T00:01:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the Original Disney Pixar Blog Hop

Disney and crafting are a magical combination, and we are so happy you joined us to day for this blog hop. Some of the crafters participating in this event have been doing this together since 2011! Over the years the hop has grown but one thing has always stayed the same . . . amazing crafting projects that feature your favorite characters from Disney and Pixar movies.

For 2016 we have had a hop every other month for the entire year! If you missed one of the hops we already had this year, you can still go back and see the projects. For February click HERE, for April click HERE, for June click HERE, for August click HERE and for October click HERE. If you are on Facebook, you can like the group page so that you can be the first to learn about each upcoming event. Just click HERE to go the the Facebook page.

To make sure you don't miss any of the fun, be sure to start at Shawn's blog to see all of the projects. Just click HERE to head over to Shawn's blog and then follow the hop line up at the bottom of the post to see everyone's projects.

Here's my project:

It's almost Christmas (eeeek, how did that happen!!?), so I decided to make a Mickey Christmas card for a favorite Disney-freak. Did you know that Cricut has added some sweet Christmas in Disney images to their Cricut Design Space shop?

I purchased the two images -- Mickey on the ladder and the Cozy Pluto -- and cut / pieced the images, using my Cricut Explore, for my side-step card. The Christmas tree is also from Cricut Design Space ("Access"). The sentiment I stamped using a retired font stamp set from Close To My Heart and Ruby Exclusive Ink.

Before you go, make sure to enter to win our prize for this hop . . .

We have a prize from KatScrappiness.com! This prize pack includes a die set and 5 packages of sequins of the winners choice! Choices must be from the current inventory. Winners must be in the continental United States.

- - -

a Rafflecopter giveaway

- - -

Thank you again for joining us on this Original Disney Pixar Blog Hop, and for supporting our fun for the past year. We hope to see you again in 2017 for more Disney magic! Now please head over to Tammy's blog for the next stop along the happy train.

Good luck, and enjoy the rest of the hop!

The full blog hop line up is below.

Disney Pixar Blog Hop for October, 2016: Ariel's Twist and Pop Card

2016-10-08T00:00:00.000-04:00

Welcome to the

Disney Pixar Blog Hop!

For 2016 we are going to have a hop every other month for the entire year! If you missed one of the hops we already had this year, you can still go back and see the projects. For February click HERE, for April click HERE, for June click HERE and for August click HERE. If you are on Facebook you can like the group page so that you can be the first to learn about each upcoming event. Just click HERE to go the the Facebook page.

For this month's Hop, I featured one of my granddaughter Charlotte's favorite Disney characters, Ariel. I used a trendy fold pattern called a "Twist and Pop Card" to make this birthday card:

Here's the cover of the 4"x6" card:

This paper is produced by Disney. I've had it in my stash for a while,

but I think I bought it at Michael's.

Now check out the motion on this card:

The card opens vertically from the top/bottom.

The 10" wide insert is on a cross-fold pop-up that twists.

The mechanism is a simple fold.

And here is Ariel sending her birthday greetings

(the inside of the card):

I accented the paper with Sparkle Gems and Silver Shimmer Trim, both from Close To My Heart.

I hope you enjoyed my project!

Before you go, make sure to enter to win our prize for this hop . . .

We have a prize from Paper Wizard! You could win one of their Mouse Wreaths, which is pictured in the image below! This is perfect for a Disney scrapbook or to turn into a home decor item.

- - -

a Rafflecopter giveaway

- - -

Good luck, and enjoy the rest of the hop!

The full blog hop line up is below.

Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge - Sketch # 179

2016-09-26T00:01:00.000-04:00

It was my pleasure to serve on this week's Design Team for the Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge Blog, working on Sketch # 179, which is this simple design:

Sketches such as these encourage your creative thinking, especially when you're running low on mojo. Do stop by AHSC when you can for inspiration both from the Design Team and from those who participate. And do post your cards, layouts or projects that follow the challenge. I'd LOVE to see your work, too!

Here is my take on Sketch #179:

The supplies I used were:

Oh Deer! Paper Pack

Oh Deer! Complements

Sea Glass Glitter Paper

Desert Sand Exclusives Ink Stamp Pad

Sponge Daubers

Value Pack Pre-Cut Cards and Envelopes

Thanks for stopping by!

Inside the Paper Jungle: Picking a Paper Trimmer

2016-09-12T18:03:00.001-04:00

From time to time, I'll be giving my readers a sneak peek into the new papercrafting products, supplies or tools in my Paper Jungle, and offering a review and/or recommendation. Unless I tell you otherwise in that post, I receive no compensation (cash or supplies) from anyone to provide this review.

This month, let's look at paper trimmers, including my new favorite, the Cutterpillar Crop.

I have, literally, a large banker's box full of paper trimmers that I've accumulated over the six years I've been papercrafting. I started with a Martha Stewart deep-blade paper trimmer with a 12"x12" bed. I moved onto Fiskars, a Carl rotary, an old-school guillotine, and a large/heavy We R Memory Keepers trimmer. I finally found a favorite and portable paper trimmer, in Stampin' Up's paper trimmer, and I bought two of those just to always have one handy.

Recently, while attending the Close To My Heart Convention in Orlando, one of my fellow Consultant/Friends showed me her Cutterpillar Crop Scrapbook and Craft Paper Trimmer. She demonstrated it for me, and I got to try it to see how narrow a thin bit of paper could be trimmed. I was impressed to see a paper off-cut of a thin, curled bit of paper, truly less than 1/32" of an inch!

Here's a closer look:

Cutterpillar Crop is made by Simple Products of Draper, Utah (www.cutterpillar.com). It is the smaller and less expensive sister of the Cutterpillar Pro. I got it through Amazon.com for $59, including free Prime shipping; here's a LINK. It's now $69.09 as of this post, which is still at least $20 less than any of my usual suppliers of such goodies.

The box says "This trimmer is designed for speed, precision and accuracy." Uniquely, there is a battery-operated (four AA's) LED light that illuminates the cutting edge for more accurate cuts, "especially on photos and lighter stocks). The trimmer is NOT recommended to trim heavy chipboard, thick plastics, cloth, adhesive or metallic stocks, and cutting those sorts of media with the Cutterpillar Crop will VOID your 90-day warranty!

The blade is a replaceable self-sharpening rotary blade, which should not need replacing -- ever!

It glides along a metal "gear rod". Be careful NOT to carry or lift the trimmer by this rod, as it can shift your cutting accuracy. The blade cuts in either direction, in a push/pull. The arm moves out to open to 17.5" -- very wide!

To aid in your cutting accuracy, the ARM is marked in both metric and inches, as small as 1/16 inch. The bed, however, is marked in 1/4" squares only. The markings are impressed into the plastic surface with NO darker printing anywhere on it. I found this a bit difficult to use without darkened markings.

Therefore, I marked my own trimmer using a Sharpie permanent marker. I make many pop-up box cards where the critical size is 2.75", so that is why I marked both my horizontal and vertical sizes with a dashed line. I also make a lot of A2 cards which are 4.25" x 5.5", which is why I noted those sizes. I also wrote on the rail to DO NOT LIFT, and marked with my name.

I will also likely mark the 1" in from the cutting edge, as it's a little difficult -- for me, at least, to get used to the right hand edge being in an inch from the ruler.

In this picture (left), I'm trying to show how the LED light bar DOES shine through a standard cardstock, i.e., the weight of a Close To My Heart cardstock. So if you're trying to trim along a definite line or border, turn on the light (the switch is on the front at the bottom of the gear rod) and shine on!

This paper trimmer isn't exactly portable, though the company recommends that you keep the sturdy box (with handle) to carry the box. I plan on keeping it on my desk surface, and using other trimmers at crops and such unless I find I can't live without this one. I estimate it weighs about 4 to 5 pounds, so it is well made with quality materials.

Instead, when I travel away from the Paper Jungle, I'll likely continue to use my flat, standard paper trimmer from Stampin' Up. One of my very favorite things about the SU trimmer is the dual blades -- one is the cutter and one is a scoring blade for marking folds. You CAN remove either one if you so choose; for me, I marked the blades to remind me which cuts and which scores -- duhhhh, I learned from experience how often I mix one up and end up cutting my cards in half inadvertently!

I'd love to be able to highly recommend the Fiskars trimmer sold by CTMH. I liked it very much when I first got it, mostly because the accuracy is aided by a wire that runs along the cutting/drag blade. The problem is, several of my wires frayed from the blade rubbing up against it, and the only way to continue to use it is to trim off the wire. How frustrating! Fiskars realizes this is a problem, and DOES offer free replacement wires and segments to repair your trimmer, available by contacting Fiskars' customer service. Fiskars also now offers a rotary/gear-rod driven trimmer which I have not tried.

I also still use my Martha Stewart paper trimmer, as the blade is exceptionally deep AND sharp!! I use it to cut chipboard and glitter paper. I can attest to how sharp it is ... when I went to change the blade, I severely cut my finger and bled a LOT. I thought I'd need stitches. Ever the documenter, I did take pictures, but I'll spare you those. Gross!

Several of my crafting friends use the We R Memory Keepers paper trimmer (pink, at right) which is now discontinued. It is HEAVY, I mean really heavy, and unfolds to open a large 12"x12" bed. I most like the bed itself, with the various markings for cards on this cutter. This was an expensive trimmer ($100+) that has been a bit of a disappointment in terms of cutting accuracy, IMO.

So that's it on paper trimmers. If you have any questions, feel free to ask away! Thanks for tuning in!

#GrandmaToAKindergartener (eeek, where has the time gone!?)

2016-08-30T23:32:00.000-04:00

It's funny with kids. Turn your head away for just a few seconds, and they've grown up from an infant to heading off to school, and the next thing you know, they'll be heading to college and getting married ....

Darling Charlotte, my first grandbaby, started kindergarten today. I swear it feels like just yesterday that she was taking her first steps, saying her first words. So now I am officially a #GrandmaToAKindergartener.

To celebrate this occasion, her Mom Emily and I collaborated on a few crafting goodies that will help her, and us, remember this day and other first days in the years ahead.

First, I made a card. It's a side-step card, and the paper I used is Close To My Heart's new "Swan Lake" suite, available beginning September 1. I added stamped images from the CTMH stamp set "School Kids", as well as some text cut using my Cricut Explore.

Next, Emily dropped off a very large pink shirt, and asked if I could make a "Class of 2029" to affix to the shirt. I used heat transfer vinyl and designed the cut, again, with the Cricut Explore. The idea behind the shirt is to have Charlotte pose in it every year until she fills it out, in 2029.

The most time-consuming project was making a chalkboard sign for Emily and Charlotte to complete annually, to pose with in their yard.

Emily bought the simple framed chalkboard at Michael's for about $10. In my stash, I had hoarded a lot of vinyl (both matte and glossy) in a variety of colors. Again, using the Cricut Explore, I set the text in a selection of fun fonts; where the information would change annually, Emily wrote that information in chalkboard markers that she also purchased at Michael's. Here's the finished project; please don't mind some of the privacy edits. We can never be too safe with our special kiddos.

And today the big day came:

(Baby brother, Evan)

...and just for kicks, let's compare Charlotte's mom Emily (left) on her first day of kindergarten (age 5) with Charlotte on her first day of kindergarten (age 5.5):

Crazy Cat on this Month's Stamp of the Month

2016-08-09T13:47:00.002-04:00

Oh my word, how cute is this Stamp of the Month (SOTM) for August from Close To My Heart? OK, truth be told, I'm not a cat person (but do have two dogs who think they're cats), and I've outgrown Halloween but still I love this build-a-cat.

And you don't have to relegate it to your "Holidays I Never Celebrate" stash. Let me show you how I've changed it up:

For this first birthday card, I stamped the crazy cat four times, each on different "Whimsy Fundamentals" cardstock from CTMH's new collection. Then I went to town dressing each up for a party, using my journaling pen and other random embellishments I had hanging around the Paper Jungle.

The guy upper left got a suit of paper, a tie made from CTMH Shimmer Tape, a hand-drawn mustache and glasses, topped with Liquid Glass. The gal below him got a dress made of CTMH's new Sea Glass Glitter Paper, and some twine twisted for her hair. For the gal to the upper right, I used Sparkle gems for her necklace and turned the stamp set's pennants upside down to elongate her ears. Her mask is also stamped on Shimmer Tape. The guy below her has the bat in the stamp set converted to a bow tie, and he earned some freckles thanks to the Journaling Pen.

They're set within a picture collage that I designed and cut quickly on my Cricut Explore. I cut it from some of the new Whimsy paper -- isn't it darling? The sentiment stamp came from CTMH's "Fireworks Fun" stamp set -- it's fun to mix and match!

This crazy cat decided to party on some older (now retired) Kaleidoscope paper. She's layered onto a piece of acetate that holds back a party full of multi-colored sequins and glitter. Behind the glitter is a layer of another paper from the Kaleidoscope collection, that has been stamped with the CTMH "Bitty Birthday" M-sized stamp.

At the Crazy Cat's shoulder is a pretty flower that I cut using the brand new Cricut Flower Market cartridge! The cartridge has beautiful flower designs and other images too -- 700 in all. The collection comes with three D-sized stamp sets from CTMH, and a pack of the new Adventure Fundamentals paper, which includes 7 bright, bold colors including the "Willow" green from which I cut the flower's leaves, and "Lemon" yellow of the flower's stamens.

Special for Blog Readers!

I do have a special for my Blog Readers if you'd like to buy the Flower Market Cartridge this month. Buy the Cartridge and its collection ($99 retail, plus tax and shipping), get the SOTM for just an additional $5, and then I'll reimburse your FedEx Ground shipping ($7.95)! Just let me know in a comment here that you'll be buying, and I'll look for it, and reimburse your shipping via PayPal or by check, your choice.

And now for some results!

Over the weekend, I participated in the Disney Pixar Blog Hop (scroll down if you missed my project!), and offered a prize of a free (and now discontinued) package of 12" assortment Flip Flaps to a random commenter. Random.org chose the #2 comment by "LYN or GARY MEEKER." Lyn or Gary, please leave a comment here or send me an e-mail with your contact information so I can get this pack out to you! Congratulations!

Disney Pixar Blog Hop for August: The Magic of Flip Flaps!

2016-08-05T23:59:00.000-04:00

Welcome to the

Disney Pixar Blog Hop!

Disney and crafting are a magical combination! We are so happy you joined us today for this blog hop. Some of the crafters participating in this event (including me!) have been doing this together since 2011!

Over the years, the hop has grown but one thing has always stayed the same . . . amazing crafting projects that feature your favorite characters from Disney and Pixar movies.

For 2016, we are going to have a hop every other month for the entire year! If you missed one of the hops we already had this year, you can still go back and see the projects. For February click HERE, for April click HERE and for June click HERE. If you are on Facebook you can like our group page so that you can be the first to learn about each upcoming event. And who knows? Maybe you'd like to join in to show off your Disney project. Just click HERE to go to the Facebook page.

To make sure you don't miss any of the fun, be sure to start at Shawn's blog to see all of the projects. Just click HERE to head over to Shawn's blog and then follow the hop line-up at the bottom of the post to see everyone's projects.

Here's mine:

Add caption

Blogger friends, I'm sure, know that my pride and joy are my two grandbabies, Charlotte (5) and Evan (2). In May of this year, the kids and their parents were taken by their granddad (my ex) to Disney World. It was Charlotte's second trip -- we took her 3 years ago -- but Evan's first. It made for some perfect scrapbook moments.

And *I* have the perfect scrapbook paper for their album: Close To My Heart's "Magical" Disney-themed paper suite.

Of course, there are zillions of fun pictures from this trip, and there's no way I could fit them all in a single album -- or is there? Well, with Close To My Heart's Flip Flaps, I can fit more pictures than meet the eye! Check this out:

Above, you see just two pictures, right?

But here, you see the follow-up to Charlotte's hug -- her smooch on her brother's cheek -- just by lifting the miniature page protector (or "Flip Flap") that's adhered to the top of the standard 12x12" page protector.

I'm still working on this double-page spread, but I wanted to share with you how very Magical these exclusive Flip Flaps can be. Here's the outside of the standard two page layout. Imagine this with a collection of photographs -- I'm thinking Cinderella's castle on the right, and some pictures of rides and other Disney scenes on the left.

How many pictures do you think I'd be able to comfortably fit in a two-page spread? Six? Eight?

How about 26 ... or more?

The outer upper panel flips up, the outer lower panel flaps down, and inside, there are different sizes of mini-page protectors flippin' and a flappin' in all sorts of directions!

Flip Flaps are available in many different sizes from Close To My Heart, most in packages of 12 pieces. A new feature this year is that half of the pieces have their adhesive strip and opening on the horizontal side, and half are on the vertical side, to allow for greater flexibility in your layout design.

There are the small ones (3"x4") as I show in the set of 18 pictures on the top half of the layout above. (Click on the size of each to be taken directly to my shopping site to buy your own!)

Then the most popular size (4"x6") standard for many photo prints. And another standard photo size (5"x7") is new this year too. Also new is the cute 2"x2" size of flip flaps; this size is perfect for not just photographs, but also souvenirs and mementos, like pressed coins the kids collected at Disney, stickers, charms, and trading pins.

I'm sorry to say that the popular 12" large assortment of Flip Flaps has been discontinued, but I have one extra set that I'm willing to award to ONE randomly-selected person who comments on this blog post. So leave a comment below, along with your e-mail address please so I know how to reach you when you win, and answer this question:

Have you ever been to Disney World or Disneyland, and if so, what was your favorite part of the trip?

This prize is awarded by me personally! I'll announce the winner on this blog on Monday, August 8. BUT WAIT!

Before you go, make sure to enter to win the official prize for this Blog Hop . . .

We have a prize from Clear Scraps! You could win one of their sandcastle chipboard albums! This is perfect for your summer beach photos or with a little magic, this castle becomes the home for any Disney Princess.

Enter here:

- - -

a Rafflecopter giveaway
- - -

Now, move on to Melissa Cady's beautiful blog called "My Disney Life." She can be found by clicking here:

http://mydisneylifebymelissa.blogspot.com/

The full blog hop line up is below. Thanks for visiting, see you next time!

A little primer on stamp pad ink

2016-07-23T00:00:00.000-04:00

Good hazy, hot Friday from here in southeastern Pennsylvania, where today we're having a typical July day ... temperatures in the 90's, with humidity level to match. It feels like an oven out there!

So it's time for some indoor catch-up here on the blog. I apologize for neglecting this spot. Life just gets in the way of spending time in my Paper Jungle. And besides, my "Jungle" (the craft room) is my house's entire upstairs, and while it's air conditioned the best as it can be, it's directly under the heat of the summer sun, all day.

Today I'd like to give a little lesson here in the CardMonkey's Stamp Camp about inks. That is, stamp pads or ink pads and the differences in each.

As my followers know, I'm a Close To My Heart (CTMH) independent consultant, and as such, sell what I've come to learn are some of the finest stamping inks around. The majority of the Exclusive Inks sold by CTMH are water-based dye inks, that are currently available in 42 different colors. Each ink color has a matching pigment ink, as well as a matching solid cardstock. We also sell Tsukineko Versamark, Memento and StazOn inks, and also have a CTMH Exclusive Ink in black that is an archival solvent-based ink.

Let me show you a chart I've made that shows you which products have which properties:

CTMH has provided its Consultants with great descriptions of each kind of ink, which I'll share below:

Dye Ink: Dye inks have a soft look. They absorb directly into the paper, allowing them to blend easily with the material. For example, if you stamp a yellow dye-based ink onto bright blue paper, the stamped image will appear green. Dye inks are popular primarily because they dry quickly and blend easily.

Pigment Ink: Pigment inks “settle” on the top of paper instead of soaking into it. This is why Close To My Heart currently offers White Daisy and Colonial White as pigment-based inks, since this property allows those pale colors to appear opaque on colored or bright papers. (Depending on how thickly you apply the pigment ink to your project, it may take a few stampings to get a solid, true color.) Pigment inks also take longer to dry than dye inks and may require heat setting.

Water-based Ink: Water-based inks (also called aqueous inks) are inks that dissolve in water and are therefore excellent to use in watercolor projects (if you want the colors to blend). Water-based inks can be blended easily with a blending pen.

Did you know that CTMH sells a beautiful set of watercolor paints,
along with a perfect set of watercolor brushes, and watercolor paper too?

My own note: I have found that when watercoloring, it is best to use a waterproof alcohol-based archival ink such as Ranger's Archival Ink stamp pad, which is acid-free, permanent and waterproof. When using this stamp pad, be sure to promptly clean your stamp, as this ink will stain your acrylic stamp. The alcohol base dries very quickly!

Solvent-based Ink: Solvent-based inks are inks that dissolve in solvent. Solvent-based inks separate from water just like oil does, so these inks are best used for creating an image that you do not want to be ruined by watercoloring.

My own note: When I trained with Copic's (markers) top instructors and received my Intermediate certification, staff warned that we should NOT use solvent-based stamp pads if we intended to use alcohol- based markers like Copic or ShinHan Touch Twin. The reasoning is this: When your alcohol marker touches or glides over a line or image stamped in solvent-based ink, the ink from the image is dissolved and transfers onto the nib of your marker, where it will permanently rest, causing that off-color to muddy your subsequent coloring. It "ruins" your marker, and you'll have to replace it, or its nib. I have found that it is best to use Tsukineko Memento Tuxedo Black stamp pad if you intend to color your image with alcohol-based markers.

Alcohol-based Ink: Alcohol-based inks work incredibly well for projects where you need to blend colors. The ink itself penetrates the fibers of the paper and dries quickly. This level of absorption allows for beautiful blending; colors will seep into the paper and mix slightly with neighboring colors, whether they are side-by-side or layered on top of one another. A smooth color transition takes place where they come in contact with each other, providing a smooth, even look.

Adding layers of alcohol-based ink deepens and intensifies colors. Even when the coloring is vivid, the layering remains smooth. Water-based inks are easy to blend, but can create a streaked or diluted look. In contrast, alcohol-based inks blend completely so there is no streaking.

I hope this little primer on inks is helpful to you in making a good impression on your paper crafts. Please contact me if I can be of further help in selecting the perfect medium for your project. I can be reached by leaving a comment on this blog, or via e-mail to cardmonkey@Comcast.net. Thank you!