Technique Time: Stamped Backgrounds

This week at Heart 2 Heart, we are challenging you to create a project with a stamped background.  This can be done with words, small images or even larger images that cover your entire paper.  You can use assorted colored inks, monotone inks or even black on white for a very classy look.  So the possibilities are endless!  We invite you get out your stamps and inks and create some awesome backgrounds for your card or other paper project and then share by using the Link button below.  You have until January 31st to do this. Please remember you are required to use at least one Close to My Heart product.

Now, please take a look at what the Design Team has created for your inspiration!

Alyson Mayo

Cat Nowak

Sue Bruch

Michelle Johns

Brandi R - crzy4scrapbooking

Now it's your turn!  Pull out your CTMH stamps and go for it!  We can't wait to see what you create.  You have all month to join this and any of our January challenges (and if you participate in all of them, you'll receive a special Perfect Attendance badge).  Happy stamping!

Spotlight On...

Welcome back to H2H!  Is anyone else's year flying by?!?  We appreciate everyone who takes time out of their busy schedule to visit us.  We hope that we are inspiring you to create and share.

This week's challenge is a fabulous technique challenge but is really open to interpretation.  You do NOT have to use the spotlight technique to participate in this challenge.  As always, our challenges are open until the end of the month they are issued, so share your work with us!  Also, remember to use something from Close To My Heart on your project.  Our spotlight will be on YOU!

Our design team has some beautiful inspiration for you!

Amy

Melissa

Suzanne

Katy

If you were stumped at first, I hope that you're inspired to create now!  We'd like to shine our spotlight on you, so be sure to come back by the 30th to link up your submission!  Thank you!

Welcome to 2018 and the SOMETHING NEW Challenge!

Happy 2018!  Can you believe that a NEW year is already here?!?  We might have some NEW tricks up our sleeve this year on the Heart 2 Heart blog!  First, we are bringing back our Guest Designer of the month, starting with the uber-talented Jody Gustafson!  We are also glad to have a NEW team member, the creative Katy Taylor, back on board!  In case you haven't figure it out, our first challenge of 2018 is SOMETHING NEW.

Here is our design team's inspiration to get your creative juices flowing in the NEW year.  (You still have all month to play along!)

Guest Designer Jody

Alyson

Sue

Laurie

Melissa

NEW Design Team Member KATY

Kelly

Brandi

Suzanne

Haley

We hope that our design team has inspired you to try SOMETHING NEW! Be sure to visit all of the DT members' blogs to find out more about their NEW projects.  (Don't you love the NEW Chelsea Garden collection?  One of the perks of being a consultant is the sneak peeks at NEW products!)  Remember, you have all month to play along with any of this month's challenges, so be sure to join us before January 31.  Go ahead, try something NEW!

Negative Space!

Hi, this is Sue Bruch again, this time taking over the hosting duties from Tamytha.  Tamytha, a Florida resident is facing evacuation from her home as Irma makes landfall.  I am happy to be filling in and am hoping she and her family remain safe.

So, Negative Space...what does this mean?  For our purposes, it is the space remaining after die cutting, using an electronic cutter or a punch.  We are hoping you will take out your favorite cutting tool, papers and maybe stamps and inspire us with how you make a negative space a very positive thing! Just remember to use at least one Close to My Heart product.

Not sure how to start? For your inspiration, here are projects from the design team.

Kelly Brandt

Sue Reynolds

Alyson Mayo

Becca Whitham

Laurie Levorson

Sue Bruch

Brandi R - crzy4scrapbooking

You have until September 30 to link your project for this and all September challenges. So what are you waiting for? Inspire us!

Current September challenges:

• Color Challenge

Splat!

Welcome to this weeks challenge here at Heart 2 Heart. Painting is all the rage right now. And with painting there is always splats. Use what was once a mistake into an awesome piece of art. So gather your Close To My Heart products and make a messy piece of art.

And if you need some inspiration, check out what our team of designers have made.



Nikka Geers





Laurie Levorson



Melissa Robinson



Lauren Moore

Angela White



Haley Dyer

You have until the end of September to play along with this and all of the September challenges. You will need to use some Close To My Heart products to play along. Post your blog post with our linky and share our link so everyone can play along. So lets get messy.

Technique Time with Team Twilight!

First, happy holidays this week to our Canadian and American readers!  Did you know that Close To My Heart is expanding once more on the international scene?  G'day, mate, to our Aussie and Kiwi friends Down Under!  That's right, CTMH is moving into Australia and New Zealand, and we can't wait until we see our new friends crafting right here with us.  Of course, we're most excited to have you, our H2H fans, right here with us each week.

Now, you might be wondering about our teams for this design term.  Today, I'm going to introduce you to "Team Twilight," and you'll find out next week which color our other team has selected.  (As you can see, our new gals bring lots of enthusiasm to the blog!)  Since we've introduced our new DT members and they've taken off their masks (so to speak), we have a technique challenge for you this week: masking.  If you're unsure about the masking technique after seeing what our designers have to inspire you, be sure to google the technique and then try it yourself.

First up is our July guest designer, Hansi Brittain.  Isn't her card pretty?

Now, here's our Team Twilight masking creations:

Carol

Brittany

Marie

Haley

Our Design Team Twilight did a great job of showing you several different styles and kinds of masking techniques.  Now it's your turn to show us what you've got.  You've got the entire month to play along, so enjoy your holiday and then get crafting!

Nip and Tuck

Nope ... we're not talking about that FX TV show!  We're taking about adding sewing to your creations this week!  That's right -- we're adding another dimension to our creations.  You can join in even if you're not a "real" seamstress or can't sew a button because for this challenge you can do it for real or for "faux"!

Before I show you our Design Teams' creations, let me show you what our guest designer this week, Kelly Brandt of Scrapper Chic, created for this challenge:

Isn't that just fabulous????  Now on to our Design Team's awesome creations:

Carol Labuski

Angela Garcia

Haley Dyer

 

Lucy Kelleher

Jody Gustafson

Tamytha Jenkins

Now it's your turn!  What kind of creations have you made using sewing (real or faux) as an element?  Be sure to link up your project below -- make sure you have you used some Close to My Heart products!

Don't forget we are looking for new Design Team members for the July - December 2013 period.  Click on this link to get all the details!

Also we are still looking for entries into our May scrapbook challenge!  Link up your project by clicking here

Have a wonderfully crafty day!

Lucy

Tuck It In, People!

Good Monday morning! Are you ready for another great challenge? If so, then we'd love to see what you create using an envelope in your artwork. Envelopes are fun to play with - you can create mini albums with them as well as use them for pockets on cards or layouts. If you'd rather not use an envelope, then create something with a 'tuck' instead. 

Be sure to follow the basic rules below but most of all, have fun with the challenge!  Here's our Guest DT Famida's very interactive layout.  Be sure to check out her blog for more photos of all the secret tucks.

Famida

Check out the beautiful artwork created by Design Team 'A'.

Carol

Angela

Jody

Tamytha

Haley

 

Heart2Heart Challenges Rules:

1. Use Close To My Heart products.  Your project doesn't have to be 100% CTMH, but you must use some.  After all, this is a challenge blog created and sponsored by CTMH consultants.
2. Incorporate this week's challenge...Tuck It In!
3. Link your project back to Heart 2 Heart from your blog or online gallery.  If you are linking from a blog, you must link directly to the actual post, not your entire blog.
4. You also need to mention Heart 2 Heart (H2H) in your blog post.  
5. Finally, we ask that you consider turning off word verification, as it makes it easier for the design team (and others) to leave comments.

Can't wait to see what you create!