Regatta Works Well for Birthdays

This month is full of birthdays and it was cool to see how the Sapphire and Flaxen worked well for a birthday layout

The Magic recipe Hocus Pocus (page 56) was the perfect start to this layout. There are photo ops for small photos as well as larger photos (three 5" x 7") or as I have here smaller photos (4" x 6") so the black journaling doodles on the White Daisy mat will show.

The smaller photos can be slide into the film strip section. And I loved how the Picture My Life cards from the Regatta Workshop Your Way add a nice touch of  'stars' to the photo strip and by cutting the tag from one of the cards, I was able to add a line journaling accent.

Stamping Happy Birthday using two different alphabet stamp sets, Marquee Uppercase (E1029) and Jennifer's Hand (B1484) added an great title. I stamped Happy in Flaxen ink and Birthday in Sapphire. Again, adding a little doodling line around the flagged title piece added a little pop.

A few gold sequins finished this page. I did think a camera from this month's Stamp of the Month, Life in Pictures (S1604) would be a cute addition.

SHOP NOW if you see something you like!!

Jennifer's Hand (B1484)

Marquee Uppercase (E1029)

Regatta Workshop Your Way (G1105)

Watercolor Splatter for Texture

Another of our Regatta card class cards used the watercolor splatter technique. Loading your brush with a water and picking up a little gray watercolor and holding the brush above the work, lightly tap the paint brush on your index finger of the opposite hand. This causes splatters to form on the paper. More water gives you a light color but large splatters while a more dry brushe gives you small splatters like the ones on the card.

On this card, the bottom was masked off and the watercolor splatter technique as used on both the card base and the sentiment piece.

Random stamping in second generation Slate ink using the sea shells from Treasured Friends (C1594) adds the look of pattern paper.

A first generation stamped shell cut out and added to the sentiment piece finishes this card.

Regatta and Cactus Thin Cuts a GREAT Combination

Stuck on You stamp set and coordinating thin cuts work great with the soft Juniper strip Regatta pattern paper and the deep blue of Saphirre cardstock. Here are two versions of one of the card class cards for April's classes.

A little soft watercolor for the flowers, Flaxen ink for the pot, and Pomegranate for the heart pop the Stuck on You stamp. Add a little journaling pen doodle around the sentiment piece to bring it all together.

A Regatta Nautical Disney inspired Layout

Close To My Heart's convention will be at Disney World this year and I am getting geared up for it!! Here is a Disney inspired layout using the Regatta Workshop Your Way. I loved adding a little gold striped white ribbon and the Fundamentals gold assortment.

Fundamentals gold assortment add a little sparkle

Flaxen Thick Twine add a little more nautical look to the Cricut Artistry cartridge anchor.

Splattering ink with the waterbrush and watercolors gives the White Daisy base some texture

Cutting down one of the Regatta Picture My Life cards for the journaling spot works great here. Add a little embellishment cluster.

Boats and Light Houses and Regatta

The My Reflections Regatta paper collection works perfectly with the light house and boat from the Seaside Greetings (D1609)!

These are two of the cards created in classes this month. The cards are part of a Wishes how to book workshop where you create 16 cards from THREE sheets of patten paper or cardstock or a mixture of both, as was done in these cards.

Seaside Greetings (D1609)

Wax Paper Embossed Technique

Do you love to learn new techniques? Waxed Paper Embossed technique is a great one to try -- Stamp TV has a great video.

This is the second card created using this technique.

Lagoon is the ink color matted to a piece of black cardstock which is matted to a piece of Pear Fundamentals (retired pattern).

A Cricut tag found in the stash drawer was stamped with the Seasides Greeting (D1609). A hole punched on each end with ribbon (from my stash) threaded through the hole and attached to the back of the Pear piece.

This is mounted to a top folding 4.25" x 5.5" card base.

Enjoy and get inky!!

Weekend Color Challenge

Each weekend on my FB page and group there is a color challenge. This past weekend the color challenge was from a Vintage Heart Design photo photo





















The card base (4.25" x 11) is top folding created from a piece of Pear Fundamentals (retired pattern).

The wax paper embossed technique was used to make the pattern piece using White Daisy cardstock and Peacock ink.

This piece triple matted starting with Peacock, Glacier and a large piece of Topiary.

Topiary ribbon (retired) is wrapped around the sentiment piece with a ribbon added.

The sentiment is from Seaside Greetings (D1609). Love that font --

Seaside Greetings D1609

I HEART Close To My Heart

WHY is it so COOL to do what I do - because I don't do it alone!! Close To My Heart is like a BIG family and we are here to help EACH other 

AND

Close To My Heart is way COOL because you 

1. receive a DISCOUNT on your favorite products -- 22% commission 
2. earn FREE product -- it is so cool when you begin to earn FREE stuff
3. get a FREE website -- have your friends start shopping with you RIGHT AWAY
4. MAKE new friends
5. are SHARING the opportunity with friends and family
6. earn PROMOTIONS!!
7. earn RECOGNITION - not only from your Team Leaders and members, also from Close To My Heart
8. set a FLEXIBLE schedule - you do have to work at this to be successful, as I tell everyone this is the hardest job I have ever loved BUT you can work it into an already busy schedule -- Let Me Show You How

Your kit contains $164 worth of product - ALL FOR $75 a initial investment

•  one medium organizer
• 3 sizes of our custom stamping blocks
• stamp scrubber
• stamp cleaner
• foam tape
• bonding memories glue
• sponge
• order forms
• 5 large annual catalogs
• 5 new Seasonal Expressions 2 catalogs (live to consultants NOW and customers May 1)
• cardstock sampler
• paper fundamentals sampler
• patterned paper samplers
• 3 petite perks stamps
• idea book postcards
• and a fabulous desk pad with tear off sheets!

PLUS

You will receive (immediately upon application approval) $50 in Special Product Credit to customize your kit 

AND 

you will be provided GUIDES in customizing your kit 

AND 

you have the help of the Rockin' heARTs

A GREAT CONSULTANT KIT - over $200 in product for an initial investment of ONLY $75 and so much more.

I am ready to help you get started -- email me at shirleyross66@gmail.com or hop on over to and GET STARTED TODAY!!

ShinHan Markers Shading with Gray

 ShinHan alcohol markers are so fun to use to color.

Deep hues available in various colors (SHOP NOW).

And there are so many tricks and techniques to expand the color range using just the marker colors offered!!

One of these is using gray as a shading color.

Here I used the stamp set, Wavy Blooms (D1651),

The center of the petals and any petals underneath another where you might find a darker shade was colored using ShinHan Warm Grey #4. Adding a darker yellow/orange, ShinHan Marigold and finishing with ShinHan Golden Yellow. While coloring the full petals, I left certain areas in the middle white. I set the work aside and let it dry and then came back with the Golden Yellow again and, as you can see, there are some light areas.

Here is the video I used to learn this technique

Wishes Card Workshop Rides Again

 Do you love to make a lot of cards from just a few sheets of pattern paper and cardstock?

So do I.

My April card class took me back to one of my favorite how to books, Wishes.

This how to book was so fun because it had workshop ideas!! What a cool thing for someone starting out in this biz!! And one of the workshops created SIXTEEN cards and ONLY used THREE sheets of cardstock and/or pattern paper.

Here are just a few of the cards you will make in my class!!

Shinhan markers and flowers for some and even our Stamp of the Month in the soft gray of Slate -- AND the paper pack is Regatta.

The soft Crystal Blue stripe paired with Sapphire created the perfect Clean and Simple cards.

More of the muted Slate using some nautical inspired stamp sets.

And don't forget the soft pastel watercolors used to paint a few cactus, did I tell you this stamp set is one of my favs!! Who knew I would love a prickly cactus!

From a little shell random stamped background with watercolor splatter to a simple second generation stamped flag sentiment -- a little something for everyone.




















Kits are available -

• pre-cut and pre-stamped - $30 plus $5 shipping/handling

• pre-cut and you stamp - $20 plus $5 shipping/handling

Stamps used for these cards - WANT THEM - SHOP NOW

Finding The Words D1646

Stuck on You C1643

Treasured Friendship C1594

Seaside Greetings D1609

Wavy Blooms D1651

Springtime Wishes C1641

Baby Your Worth It!!

Ten years ago I took the Close To My Heart plunge AND have had the time of my life. That is what I want to share with ALL of YOU!! I did not take to this like a duck takes to water, I needed a TON of that Let Me Show You How and maybe a few swift kicks along the way.

BUT . . .

I earned a Mediterranean cruise my second year and when my husband and father passed away within three months of each other, my Close To My Heart friends and family were there for me! My business kept going!!

Being able to set your work hours so helps when family and life happen! When my Mom became ill, I was able to work around her needs and during the last two years of her life, my loyal customers were there to help again to keep my business on track. I am so thankful to ALL of YOU for being here for me!!

AND NOW I CAN SHOW YOU HOW MUCH YOU ARE WORTH IT with the HELP of Close To My Heart!

April is an amazing month to JOIN the Close To My Heart family and become a Rockin' heART!!
There is a NEW consultant kit worth over $200 for ONLY $75

In addition, you receive $50 in Special Product Credit allowing you to customize your kit to meet your needs!! 

When you JOIN Close To My Heart and my team in April the rewards are even greater! You can earn your choice of a FREE Cricut collection or an additional $100 in Select Product Credit when you submit $350 in personal sales within your first 30 days! Add this to our AWESOME Straight To The Top incentive program and YOU will be well on your way to a successful start!!

Here it is at a glance 

• Sign up for $75 and get over $200 in products.
• PLUS $50 in additional Select Product Credit (SPC). Select product credit includes all stamps, cardstock, patterned paper, inks, re-inkers, markers, Picture My Life, Workshops Your Way, and acrylic blocks.
• PLUS when your sales total $350 in the first 30 days, you will get your choice of CTMH Cricut cartridge collections or $100 additional Select Product Credit and three stamp sets that are exclusive to consultants!
• PLUS you earn 3 exclusive stamp sets (retail value $40+)
• PLUS $77 in commission -- which covers your initial investment of $75
• PLUS there are MORE incentives you can earn - Let Me Show You How!!

I would love to talk to you about this select opportunity (do you know what movie that is from?), contact me at shirleyross66@gmail.com!!

Regatta Featured Paper Packet of the Month

 Regatta is April's featured paper packet. Boats, water, anchors and more fill these aquatic inspired patterns.

Each paper packet contains 12 patterns, 2 of each of 6 designs!!

And the best value is the Workshop Your Way.

A Workshop Your Way contains the 12 sheets of pattern paper, several sheets of coordinating cardstock (Flaxen and Crystal Blue for Regatta), coordinating My Complements, ribbon, and coordinating embellishment.

With only the Workshop Your Way, you will be able to create three layouts and two Picture My Life pocket pages.

Add a few more coordinating products

• Value Pack White Daisy card bases and envelopes
• My Anchor stamp set C1642
• My Anchor thin dies Z3202
• Inks - Flaxen (Z2642), Glacier (Z2641), Pomegranate (Z2653), Sapphire (Z2648)
• Thin 3D Foam Tape (Z2060
• Cardstock - White Daisy (1385)

And you can create an additional 8 cards, 2 of each design shown.

The BEST VALUE!!

You can still purchase each item individually making this a great paper collection for a vacation to the beach, a cruise, an upcoming pirate party and so much more.

SHOP NOW - enter Regatta in the search and see all the awesome coordinating products!!

Life in Pictures S1604 Close To My Heart Stamp of the Month

Do you see a camera you remember? There are several that bring back memories of Mom and Dad snapping photos at our house.

Life in Pictures is a keeper!

And this month it can be yours for ONLY $5 with a qualifying $50 order!! Don't you love a bargain!!

A little random stamping creates a picture perfect background for these cards!! One in Sapphire and one in Pomegranate -- the colors of Regatta, the paper packet of the month for April -- more posts featuring Regatta is coming your way soon.

And April is the month to join my Rockin' heART team and the the Close To My Heart family -- contact me at shirleyross66@gmail.com so I can share more about the NEW consultant kit -- there will be more on this soon too!!