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If you {heart} Close To My Heart, then this challenge blog is for you! Please read our revised rules, above.

Sunday, July 27, 2014

Picture My Crush?

Hello Crafters!  We're so glad you're here!

This week we are challenging you to use Close to My Heart's exclusive Picture My Life program or our My Crush program in their projects - thus our title "Picture My Crush?".  Now if you don't have our actual collections, there is no reason you can't use Close to My Heart products to create your own Picture My Life or My Crush products. Keep reading below to be inspired!!

First, let me show you our Guest Designer Gina Brandstetter's project:


Isn't this album adorable?  You can check out Gina's blog for more details by clicking here.  What a great idea!

Next up - our design's teams creations for your inspiration:

Jen Patrick

Adeline Brill

Lauren Moore

Lucy Kelleher
Haley Dyer

Well -- were you inspired?  Now it's your turn -- link up your own Picture My Life or My Crush projects using Close to My Heart products.  We can't wait to see what you come up with!

You have until August 2 to link up for this one (all of our other July challenges end Thursday) - so link up your projects below!  We can't wait to crush on your project.

Monday, July 21, 2014

Some Like it Hot...

Some like it HOT...and so does H2H!!!

This week we want you to show us how you like it HOT!!!  I hope our Design Team members will spark your creativity with our different views on the subject.  You have until the end of the month to play along with any and all of our July challenges, so show us some heat.

Let's start with out Guest Design Team Member, Gina B...

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And here is what the rest of the DT has to share...






We hope you got a little inspiration from our projects...can't wait to see what you have to share.  

Don't forget...you have 'till the end of July to link up using the linky tool below!  You must follow the rules you see {{{here}}}.


Monday, July 14, 2014

The Spice of Life

Welcome back to our next July challenge!  Remember that you have all month to play along with any and all of our July challenges, and we are loving what you are making!  This week's challenge is the "Spice of Life."  Maybe you'll interpret it as a spicy color combo, maybe it's a spicy recipe, or maybe even a spicy night out! ;)

Our guest designer Gina offers this spicy card...
Team Cranberry is cooking up these fabulous creations for you this week:
Lauren

Brandi

Jen
Haley

So where will our spicy theme take you?  Be sure to link up your CTMH creation before the end of July.  They say variety is the spice of life, and we can't wait to see what you cook up!


Thursday, July 10, 2014

June H2H Winners!

Our June challenges were lots of fun, and they were definitely, um, challenging!  First and foremost, thank you to everyone who played along with us in June.  We hope that you enjoy joining us as much as we love visiting you!

We only have ONE Heart 2 Heart Addict for June!  Congratulations to Hansi for playing along with all of our Monday June challenges!  Don't forget to snag your Addict badge from our badges tab.  Also, please remember that to be eligible for the July addicts badge, you must play along with each and every challenge, including the Red and White Days scrapbook challenge that we threw down on the 1st.

Are you ready for our Top 10 for June?
Everyday Journeys Scrapbooking Challenge:
Dawn

Rhapsody in Blue:
Elaine
Katrina
Gail

So Studly:
Living, Loving, Laughing 4 Life
Jody G.

Bows or Bow Ties:
Hansi
Natalie @ Scrappy Sassy Studios

The Great Outdoors:
Gail
Kelly Janes
Aren't they terrific?!?  YOU inspire us!

Now please join me in congratulating our June Top Chick...






...





Gail!
Again, congratulations to the June winners and to all of our June participants!  Remember that you have all month to participate in our July challenges, and we want to see YOU!

Monday, July 7, 2014

Up, Up, and Away!

Our new Heart 2 Heart Challenges Design Team is ready to go up, up, and away!  Are you with us?  You can interpret this theme in so many ways: anything that flies, the blue skies, even a promotion or graduation!  You have all month to play along with any of our July challenges, so get your craft on.  First up is our July guest designer, Gina:
Guest Designer Gina
Both of our Design Teams are playing this week to kick off the new DT term.  It's time to introduce our Team Cranberry:
Jen
Brandi
Lauren
Haley

Now let Team Crystal Blue take you away!
LaJeania
Adeline
Allie

Debi
(Katy has taken time off this week but will be back for the next Crystal Blue challenge.)
Aren't you impressed with our Design Team?  I am so proud of these ladies and grateful to get to work with them each week. 

Are you ready to take your CTMH artwork to new heights? It's time to soar!  Join us to go up, up, and away!

Friday, July 4, 2014

Welcome, Adeline and Lauren!

It's time to welcome two more CTMH artists to the Heart 2 Heart Design Team.  How about a round of applause for Adeline Brill, AKA Sweet Aline?
 I am a retired high school teacher who started scrapbooking when my youngest son graduated from high school.  I have been a CTMH consultant since 2005 and I enjoy teaching workshops including Cricut classes, scrapbook layouts and mini-books.  I also teach sewing and software classes for a local Bernina store.  I am  originally from WNY but have lived in Tampa, Florida for the last 21 years.

Continue to clap for Lauren Moore, who will be bring her talent to us all the way from New Zealand!

She writes:
I am from Christchurch, New Zealand.  Married now for 6 1/2 years, I am a stay at home mom to 2 boisterous boys, so crafting is my peaceful time.  I have been scrapbooking for six years (starting with my wedding album) , and have only just started making cards this year.  Cards are a lot quicker for me than a layout, but I still love to scrapbook family moments.  

Thursday, July 3, 2014

Welcome, Debi and Allison!

Now it is time to welcome our new Heart 2 Heart Design Team Members!  We are so excited to have these talented ladies on board with us for the rest of the year!  First up is Debi Barber.
Debi says:
I am a single mother (and soon to be first time Grandmother) of two beautiful daughters.  As a tax professional by trade I need a creative outlet and paper crafting and scrapbooking is my medium of choice right now.  I’ve been paper crafting for most of my adult life, and began the art of scrapbooking about 10 years ago.  Coincidently (or perhaps not) I have also been a Close To My Heart consultant for 10 years.  I joined CTMH as a venue to meet people when I found myself single again and I have succeeded in that venture and more.  I love to experiment with various crafting supplies and have found my passion is then to share with everyone the end results of my experimentation.  I am excited to join the Heart to Heart Challenge team and hope I can inspire everyone with their paper crafting projects.

We would also like to welcome Allison "Allie" Kostiuk to the Design Team!
Hi! My name is Allie Kostiuk. I live with my wonderful husband and teach grade 3 in the beautiful Kootenay region of British Columbia, Canada. I was first introduced to the world of stamps and scrapbooking by my aunts at our summer cabin while I was in elementary school. We had all seen rubber stamps and played around with them before, but it was that summer when we started creating our own cards with stamps. It wasn’t until I was in high school when I created my first scrapbook. Going off to college and university and meeting so many amazing new friends encouraged me to scrapbook my experiences each summer. My aunt introduced me to Close To My Heart products during this time and after graduating university, I decided to become a consultant as well. I am so pleased to be on my first design team ever with Heart2Heart and look forward to the challenges ahead :)!

Wednesday, July 2, 2014

Introducing Our July Guest Designer

Please welcome Gina Brandstetter to the July Heart 2 Heart Design Team!

Hi My name is Gina Brandstetter.  I'm so honored to be asked  to be this month's Guest Designer.   I've been a Close to My Heart Consultant since 2006 and I have loved every minute of it! Several years ago I started looking for way to challenge my creativity so I began following Blog Challenges.   Heart 2 Heart was one of the first challenges that got me started.  I now keep a list of challenges that I love to check out each day and it is the first thing I do every morning!  I may not have time to play with each one and sometimes I may only get one done in a week but I still love to follow along!    In addition to my passion for paper crafting I do have a full time job, two grown daughters, a wonderful husband who appreciates my papercrafting business and a Chesapeake Bay Retriever named Remi who actually thinks he is Human.
So come on and join in the fun with the H2H Challenges this month.  They are going to be fun!  I look forward to seeing everyone's creations!

Tuesday, July 1, 2014

July Scrapbook Challenge: Red & White Daisy

This month’s scrapbook challenge is a color combo: Red & White Daisy with the option of Blue!  It’s not a coincidence that this color combo corresponds with all of the flags of “Close To My Heart countries” and that both Canada and the United States celebrate their independence this month.  You can use any shades of blue and any neutrals to your project, but please keep the focus on Red (Ruby or Cranberry) & White Daisy.  Your project doesn't have to be patriotic, but it certainly could be!  Please mention which CTMH colors you use in your scrapbooking project.  You must also have some SPARKLE (red shimmer trim, sparkles, or base & bling, anyone?) AND sewing too!  Real or faux, it’s up to you!
Thank you, Pinterest, for these awesome mood boards!
We are interpreting "scrapbooking" around here pretty loosely: traditional layouts, Studio J layouts, a mini album, photo home decor, or any other way that you want to show off your photos.  Our July Guest Designer, Gina Brandstetter, has this great layout for you.  (She'll get her official introduction tomorrow, but go ahead and welcome her today too!)
Guest Designer Gina
DeHere's our Design Team's Red & White Daisy scrapbooking inspiration.  (Yes, you do see a new artist or two, and their intros are coming later this week!)
Debi

Katy
Brandi

Allie
Lucy
Adeline

Lauren
Haley
LaJeania


So remember, show your CTMH pride, scrapbook-style, with
*Any red and White Daisy
*sparkle
*sewing
*optional blue and/or neutrals