Reasons to Smile Cut Above Layout Kit and Calendar Kit

Do you like fast layouts?  

Do you make calendars? 

Do you like to make gifts for teachers, family, friends or co-workers?
Do your kids like to create?

If you have answered YES to any of the above questions,

then these calendar kits or Cut Above layout kits are for you.

These layouts can be put onto the Base Calendar or they can just be added to your album.  

After the year is over cut the page off the calendar and put it in your album.

There is no cutting required for this kit.  You just need adhesive and a journalling pen.

The instructions come in the kit.  

I taped me putting them together.  

If you order the kit I will add you to a private Facebook group and do an online class. 

Another consultant, Jean Johnson made the single page layouts into double page layouts.

She has given me permission to share her layouts.

I wanted to show you how you can do either.
Just add extra cardstock to make double pages.

Sorry the overload of pictures you are about to get.

I hope this gives you some ideas and inspiration.

I think these would make great Christmas gifts for family and teachers.

They are simple enough to make too that they would be a great for a child/youth to put together.

There are a few options for Kits.  

Reasons to Smile Cut Above Layout Kit

Reasons to Smile Calendar Kit and Stamp Set

Reasons to Smile Calendar Kit

Reason to Smile stamp set.
Use this stamp set to add all the extra reminders/details for the special events happening in your life.

Base Calender

Which is your favorite? 
Do you prefer the single or the double pages?

Thanks for stopping by today.  If you have any questions please ask.

Perk Up

Are there any Coffee or Latte lovers out there?

Everyone who knows me knows that I love my Coffee and Lattes.

Chai Tea Lattes in particular (hint, hint).

For the past 3 summers I have taken my church youth group on a mission trip 

somewhere in Western Canada.

This year I had a new young lady with me and at the airport I went to get myself

a latte as it was still another flight and then I had to drive us to our destination.  

I mentioned that I needed another coffee. 

 She said, "You really have a thing about coffee don't you?"

YES, YES I do.  

I am a bear without it. LOL 

All my other youth have learned this when I don't have enough coffee. 

So, the Perk Up stamp set is perfect for me and for any coffee lover out there.

Here are some cards and a layout I made using this set and the thin cuts.

The thin cuts are currently being re-ordered and are expected back mid-October. 

If you want the stamp and thin cuts let me know and I will order them 

or let you know as soon as they are back.

 

You can still order just the stamp set right now.

Perk Up and the Hawthorn paper retire at the end of this month.

I created a shaker card using the Perk Up cup thin cut to cut a window in my pattern paper.  I stamped the background under the window in Almond, Espresso, and Toffee inks using the coffee ring stamp.  I just randomly stamped them.  I used my scissors to edge distress the leaf paper and then inked all the edges of all the papers with Espresso ink.  I stamped the sentiment in Sangria ink on a piece of Kraft cardstock that was dovetailed.  The lid was stamped in Pewter ink.  I backed the window with acetate, put 3-D foam tape around the window, added coffee grounds and then stuck the background paper on top.  I then added it to my card base and added the rest of the pieces.

I made this shaker card the same as the other one except I inked the lid using a dauber with Mink ink, to create shadows.  I added hearts in Sangria, and a cup cozy in Almond.  I inked this time with Sangria and Expresso.  Inside the shaker I put coffee grounds, a couple small coffee beans, and a few gold sequins.

I randomly stamped the background again using Espresso, Almond and Toffee ink and the coffee ring image
all over a 12 x 12 piece of White Daisy cardstock. 
I edge distressed the Hawthorn blue leaf paper (4" x 12") with scissors.
 The Kraft photo mats are 4.25" x 6.25".
The journalling strips are 0.5" x 6". 
The title is stamped in Sangria using the Brushed Letters Alphabet.
 The cups and lids are stamped in Pewter.  I used a waterbrush to add shading using Pewter ink. 
The cozies are stamped in Sangria, Saffron, and Almond.
 All the papers were inked with Espresso on the edges.

Gift card holder card.  Here are the inks used.  I stamped the cup and  lid in Pewter, the saying and hearts in the Espresso, the cozy in Saffron.  I created the background with Almond, Toffee and Espresso ink.  I shaded the cup image with ink from the pad using a water brush.  I inked all the paper edges in Espresso ink.  I only put adhesive on the sides and bottom of the Kraft piece.  

What a great Thank you card.  Would work as a great teacher's gift, etc.

Perk Up Stamp Set the images that are highlighted in blue are the ones that have thin cuts for this set.

Supplies Used:

• Perk Up stamp set
• Perk Up stamp set and thin cuts (due back mid-October)
• Brushed Letters Alphabet stamp set
• Hawthorn Paper Packet
• Kraft Cardstock
• White Daisy Cardstock
• Espresso ink pad
• Almond ink pad
• Toffee ink pad
• Saffron ink pad
• Sangria ink pad
• Pewter ink pad
• Mink ink pad
• Cards & Envelopes
• Gold Sequins
• 3-D foam tape
• Thin 3-D foam tape
• Micro glue dots
• Adhesive
• Scissors
• coffee grounds
• coffee beans
• sponge dauber

Thanks for stopping by.  

Check out my posts yesterday.  

I explained the new Catalogue cycle in the the last one and how to get FREE copies.

Changes in the Catalogue Cycle

As you may have noticed there are now 2 Catalogues for Close to My Heart.

There is the Core Products Book.   

This contains our core products like cardstock, glitter paper, core thin cuts, how-to programs, core stamps, inks, embellishments, ribbons, shimmer, watercolor, albums, blocks, Cricut, hostess rewards, storage, envelopes, page protectors, etc.  

The Core Products Book runs until August 2020.

You can get a FREE Core Product Book this month only.

Just add it to an order this month but after this month it won't be free to add to your order.

Core Products Book

Then there is the 2 month Catalogue.  The current one runs until the end of October.  The next one for November/December is being released to customers early on October 15th so that you can order the Christmas stuff to get your cards and gifts done.  With the first order of a new catalogue you will be able to add a free catalogue to your order.

September/October Catalogue

You will find the stamp of the month in these catalogues as well as some of the monthly specials.

November/December Catalogue  releasing early on October 15th.

I hope this answers some of your questions.

A True Classic Cards

Do you ever have a hard time making masculine cards?  

You are in luck today as I am bringing you a bunch of masculine cards.

Right now Close to my Heart has 2 very masculine stamp sets that are perfect for cards or scrapbooking the men in your life. 

They are A True Classic and the Hawthorn-Cardmaking stamp sets.

I used A True Classic, Strokes of an Artist and Say it in Style stamp sets, New England Ivy, Candy Apple and White Daisy cardstock,  0.5 black journalling pen, ShinHan markers, water brush, Candy Apple, Pebble and Intense Black ink,  Flower Market cartridge and the multi square window die.  

For this Christmas card I cut  the multi square window die with Candy Apple cardstock and then trimmed out the insides.  I cut the trees out at 1.25" using the Flower Market cartridge out of the New England Ivy cardstock.  (I am now a Cricut Affiliate and you can order all your Cricut stuff using my Affiliate link.)  I stamped the saying in Intense Black and Candy Apple, I painted the edges with ink from the Candy Apple ink pad lid using a water brush.  I colored the truck using alcohol markers and then fussy cut.  I stamped the background behind the truck using Strokes of an Artist in Pebble ink, I stamped it multiple times.

I used A True Classic stamp set, Hawthorn paper, watercolor paints, Saffron ink, Intense Black ink and a journalling pen on this card.

A True Classic

Hawthorn - Cardmaking Stamp Set and Thin Cuts

Hawthorn - Cardmaking Stamp Set

Next up an other Christmas card.

I used A True Classic, Say It in Style, and Strokes of an Artist  stamp sets on this card. I used Intense Black ink, Pebble ink and Mink ink.  I also used the CTMH Flower Market cricut cartridge, a journalling pen, gold sequins and watercolor paints.

Close up.

Used A True Classic and Strokes of an Artist stamp sets, Hawthorn paper, Intense Black, Pebble and Sapphire inks and ShinHan markers.   I used my scissor blade to edge distress the pattern paper. 

For this card I used A True Classic, Hawthorn - Cardmaking and Strokes of an Artist stamp sets, Hawthorn paper, white daisy cardstock, Multi square windows thin cut, black marker, watercolor paints, Intense Black, Sangria and Saffron inks.

I cut out parts of the multi square windows die cut and then colored it with black marker.  TIP: If you don't have a color of cardstock you can make your own by coloring cardstock.

Here are images of the other stamp set, thin cut and paper used. 

Strokes of an Artist

Say It in Style

Hawthorn paper 

Multi Square Windows Thin Cut

Thank you for taking the time to stop by.  

I would love to know which card is your favorite.  

If you have any questions please don't hesitate to ask and I will do my best to answer them.