Design Challenge: Atlantic Hearts Sketch #287

New Card Design by Kimberly Bower
inspired by AHSC Design #287

Design Challenge: Atlantic Hearts Sketch #287

Here's a new card I made today to inspire you to join in the Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge #287. Feel free to gather inspiration from this week's sketch plus all the other Design Team artwork in order to create your own project. As always, your project does NOT have to be a card. It can be absolutely anything as long as you incorporate this week's sketch in some way.

Here is this week's sketch:

This Challenge will be open until Sunday night, October 28, at 11:59pm Atlantic Standard Time (10:59pm EST, 9:59pm CST, 8:59pm MST, 7:59pm PST). We hope that you will find the time to play along!

Guidelines for entering can be found here.

Stay creative and continue to share kindness along the way,

Kimberly

Holiday Sparkle - CTMH Technique Blog Hop

New Shaker Card design by
Kimberly Bower featuring
Holiday Sparkle Cut Above Card Kit

Holiday Sparkle - CTMH Technique Blog Hop

Welcome to our Holiday Sparkle and Seasons of Joy Blog Hop. I'm so glad you're here! If you're here from Melinda Everitt's blog, you're on the right path. This hop is a great big circle so you can start here and work your way around. When you get back to me you'll know that you've seen all of the creative ideas offered through this month's blog hop. There are 14 participating consultants so you're bound to be inspired by the time you complete the hop. You can continue the hop by clicking on the links provided in each post. Should you get lost along the way, there is a list of participants here.

This blog is showcasing CTMH's Holiday Sparkle and Seasons of Joy Cricut Collection. I selected to feature our Holiday Sparkle Cut Above Card Kit. Here's a look at the stamp set and bundle:

My design showcases ways to personalize your design beyond the holidays. I want to assure you that if you purchase this kit and later discover you have purchased too many holiday cards, there are so many fabulous uses for shaker card bases beyond the holidays. Here's how to make my version of the Holiday Sparkle card:

Shaker Assembly:

1) Select a photo to feature in the shaker portion of your card.

 2) Use the Thin Cuts: Shaker Window & Confetti and your Cuttlebug or other die-cutting machine. Cut the photo using the 3" circle. Cut heart-shaped confetti out of other portions of the photo that will bring the colors of the photo into your shaker. You can either use one of the ring stickers from the kit for the top of your shaker, or use another portion of the photo that was cut away like I did in my design.

3) Glue your photo on top of the circle on your card base. I knew I was adding shells to my shaker card and didn't want them to damage the photo so I used two acetate circles. I put one acetate circle above the photo but beneath the shaker filling. The second acetate circle is above the Shaker Window Foam (which can also be purchased separately from the kit, if desired). 

4) Attach the Shaker Window Foam. I used a double layer of foam to accommodate the size of the shells I added to my design. Use the anti-static pouch around the inside edges of the foam and the base of your shaker window to minimize any static inside your shaker window.

5) Add the silver loose sequins, the heart confetti, a few small shells and a bit of beach sand (if desired) into the shaker 'pool'.

6) Remove the film from the clear acetate. Attach the clear acetate to the top of your foam ring.

7) Using Liquid Glass, attach the cover ring of your shaker, or use one of the stickers in your Cut Above Kit.

Card assembly:

1) I wrapped some twine around the outside of the shaker two times and then tied a knot.

2) I used the Decorative Thin Cuts and cut two tassels out of Pomegranate cardstock. I rolled the tassels with my quilling tool, adding small dots of glue as I went. I slipped the twine on each end through the top ring of each tassel. I added the teal and heart charms and knotted the twine. Finally, I tied a bow and trimmed the ends.

3) I used the back of the punch out greeting and the stamp that came in the bundle to stamp the sentiment on my card in Lagoon ink. I used the mini hearts from the same stamp set and stamped them in random places on the strip of cardstock around the sentiment. 

4) Attach a 1.5"x5" strip of lagoon across the bottom of the card. 

5) Attach Red Shimmer Trim at top of lagoon strip.

6) Attach sentiment using foam dots to add dimension. 

Enjoy! 

I would love it if you'd share your thoughts in a comment before continuing with our hop. For a detailed list of products used, please scroll past my signature line. Your next stop along this hop is Alyson Mayo's blog so hop on over and see what wonderful creation she has for you today.

Stay creative and continue to share kindness along the way,

Kimberly

Close To My Heart products: 

Stamp set: Holiday Sparkle: Love with All the Trimmings

Exclusive My Acrylix Ink: Lagoon

Cardstock: Pomegranate and Lagoon

Bundled Cut Above Card Kit: Holiday Sparkle Bundle

Thin Cuts: Decorative Borders, Shaker Window & Confetti

Embellishments: Base & Bling Teal Bead Charm: Faux Gold and Base & Bling Heart Charm: Faux Gold (both in Clearance), Red Shimmer Trim

Other Close To My Heart supplies used: 

Bone Folder (to fold card, and press foam tape down) 

Bonding Memories Dual Action Glue Pen

Liquid Glass (to adhere clear acetate)

Duck Easy Stick permanent adhesive tape runner

Thin 3-D Foam Dots

Anti-Static Pouch

Micro-tip Scissors

My Acrylix Spritz Cleanser and Stamp Scrubber (care and maintenance of stamps) 

Tweezers (to place small pieces/embellishments on card) 

Want to make this? Let's go shopping! Want help with assembly? Let's do a Facebook Live! Just let me know.

If you are not already working with a consultant, I'd be honored to earn your business. If you'd like to enjoy the added privileges of being a consultant, I can show you how. Check out the labeled tabs for more details. You can also contact me via comment or email.

Design Challenge: Atlantic Hearts Sketch #285

New Card Design by Kimberly Bower
inspired by AHSC Design #285

Design Challenge: Atlantic Hearts Sketch #285

Here's a new card I made today to inspire you to join in the Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge #285. Feel free to gather inspiration from this week's sketch plus all the other Design Team artwork in order to create your own project. As always, your project does NOT have to be a card. It can be absolutely anything as long as you incorporate this week's sketch in some way.

Here is this week's sketch:

My card details:

I went c-r-a-z-y with bling on this card. I hope the recipient will really feel the sentiment through my crafting. Here are a few close-up photos:

This Challenge will be open until Sunday night, October 14, at 11:59pm Atlantic Standard Time (10:59pm EST, 9:59pm CST, 8:59pm MST, 7:59pm PST). We hope that you will find the time to play along!

Guidelines for entering can be found here.

Stay creative and continue to share kindness along the way,

Kimberly

Christmas in July Card for Heart2Heart, Double Trouble and SAS4Kids Challenges

Christmas in July Card

Christmas in July Card Challenges:
Heart2Heart: Christmas in July 

Plus Double Trouble Challenge #6

Plus SAS4Kids: Christmas in July

This post shares a three-for-one challenge entry. First, the Heart 2 Heart Challenge: Christmas in July calls for the use of any crafty Christmas supplies and also challenges us to pair up this entry with an entry at Double Trouble's blog. Challenge met!

Second, Double Trouble issues the "Something Anything Everything" Challenge. By the way, I don't think it was coincidence that the wandering dog had "trouble" on his name tag, do you? Thing 2 suggests a link back to a Heart 2 Heart Challenge. Thing 3's optional addition suggests decorating the inside of the card beyond just the sentiment. To meet this part of the challenge, I used my Cricut Cuttlebug and cut the word 'wonderful' out of a piece of Central Park paper that matches the background paper on the card front. Done, done and done!

Sentiment inside card says 

'Have a wonderful Christmas' 

with the word 'wonderful' 

cut out of CTMH Central Park 

paper using Cuttlebug

Third, Send A Smile 4 Kids Blog is also having a Christmas in July Challenge. I wanted to make a Christmas card that a preteen girl would like so I used my CTMH Rain or Shine Doll Stamp + Thin Cuts to make a girl dressed for a holiday party. The sentiment stamped in the color Glacier on the front of the card says 'All that glitters is snow!" so I wanted to add some glittery elements that would be fun for a young girl. Here's another photo of the outside of the card at another angle so you can possibly see the glittery embellishments in her hair, on her buttons, and representing snow with a blue 'snowflake' flower and silver gem wisps representing the snow's path into her hand.

Here are the products I used to create this card:

Close To My Heart cardstock colors used:

• Central Park Paper Packet (card background layer)
• White Daisy (card base)

Other Close To My Heart supplies used:

• Rain or Shine Paper Doll Stamp + Thin Cuts (doll, dress)
• Gold Glitter Gems (buttons) 
• 3-D Foam Tape (behind the sentiment on card front)
• Bone Folder (to fold card, and press foam tape down)
• Bonding Memories Dual Action Glue Pen
• Micro-tip Scissors
• Acrylix Exclusive Stamp Pads in Charcoal (doll), Glacier (sentiments), New England Ivy (dress)
• Clear Shimmer Brush (in hair)
• Corner Trimmer
• My Acrylix Spritz Cleanser and Stamp Scrubber (care and maintenance of stamps)
• Tweezers (to place 'wonderful' over stamped sentiment)

Also used:

• Watercolor pencils (hair, skin, shoes)
• Recollections Bling Stickers
• Fiskars Many Thanks Stamp Set (sentiment on card front)
• Hero Arts Stamp & Cut Set (sentiment on inside of card)
• Cricut Paper Trimmer

Want to make this card? Let's go shopping! We can even make it together on a Facebook Live, if you'd like. Just let me know.

If you need a consultant, I'd be happy to help.

If you'd like to enjoy the added privileges of being a consultant, I can show you how. Check out the labeled tabs for more details. You can also contact me via comment or email.

Be sure to check out the challenges at Heart2Heart, Double Trouble and SAS4Kids. You might enjoy checking out the other entries as well. I'm still new to participating in design challenges and I know I've gotten a lot of great ideas from checking out the past challenges.

Stay creative and continue to share kindness along the way,

Kimberly

Christmas in July: Gate Fold Card Tutorial (With Free Cricut Design Space File)

Christmas in July: Gate Fold Card

Christmas in July: Gate Fold Card Tutorial 

(With Free Cricut Design Space File)

I designed this card for the '2018 Christmas in July' event in the 'Cricut Design Space' Facebook Group. I hope you find time to relax and create beautiful memories with your family and also for yourself.

Photo of card in closed position
with bow tied, ready for envelope

Description:

This project makes one gate fold card that is A2 size (4.25”x5.5”) and an
accompanying envelope.

Finished size:

A2: 4.25” x 5.5”

Materials to Cut:

• Cardstock in red
• Cardstock in white
• Cardstock in patterned print (I used red foil polka dots)

Everything Else:

• Cricut 12x12 StandardGrip Adhesive Cutting Mat
• Cricut Tools Scoring Stylus
• Cricut Fine Point Pen (0.4) in Very Berry
• Cricut Fine Point Pen (0.4) in Midnight Black
• Gold ⅜” satin ribbon, 18 inches
• Permanent photo safe adhesive
• Personal holiday photo hand-trimmed no larger than 4” x 5.25”
• Cricut Cuttlebug, optional
• Coordinating embossing folder, optional
• Adhesive to prevent fraying of ribbon ends (I used Fray-Check)

Preparation:

If you want to alter the project, click “Customize,” then use the tools in
the Edit panel to make changes before you cut. You can either hide my
project notes before printing by clicking ‘Customize’ and clicking the
eyeball, or simply skip those mats if you go directly to ‘Make.’

Cut:

1. Follow the prompts in Design Space to cut the images from the cardstock.
2. Insert the scoring stylus and pens when prompted to do so.

Assemble:

1. Fold envelope cutout on scored lines and glue tabs to form envelope.
2. Fold card along score lines.
3. Glue patterned cardstock on inside and outside flaps of gate fold.
4. Glue only the rectangle portion of the white inner card, centering on the inside of the red outer card.
5. Using photo safe adhesive, glue personal family photo to center of inner white card.
6. Emboss white rectangle used to protect photo while card is in transit, if desired.
7. Thread gold satin ribbon through the ¼” holes cut on the ‘gate’ flaps of the red outer card. Tie a bow. Trim ends of ribbon on the diagonal. Apply an adhesive to the ribbon ends to prevent fraying.

Inside view of gate fold card, with

white cover sheet on the side.

Photo Credit for family photo insert

by Takashi Hososhima

Click this link to go to Cricut Design Space: 

2018 Christmas in July, Kimberly Bower, Gate Fold Card

Photo Credit:

By Takashi Hososhima from Tokyo, Japan - Merry Christmas from Danbo family, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=40589151