Keeping to the subject of my blog - paper crafting - in 2017, I have plans. I have ideas. Ideas and Plans, yes. No resolutions. But lots of ideas, and plans. mhm.
Anyway - Close to My Heart has a new Seasonal Expressions catalog, it's full of new paper collections, some new stamp sets, and also full of ideas. (The difference, is their ideas have been acted on - mine are still in my head). It just breathes Spring!
Also, January is National Papercrafting Month - and Close to My Heart has a fantastic kit to celebrate this - You can purchase it for $18.95 or get it for FREE when you purchase $60 in other Close to My Heart products. (and you've also qualified for the gorgeous Stamp of the Month for only $5!)
It's really easy to put it together, I've added some photos below of when I assembled the wreath. There's NO cutting needed, and NO stamping if you don't want to (I added a little shading around the edges to add some depth to the leaves and change the color of two of the roses).
Here's the package as you get it, you can see a couple of the pages of leaves, ready to punch out.
This is a montage of the assembly process, Clockwise from upper-left: all the pages, plus a glimpse of the instructions; one of the roses, right after I had sponged all of the edges; a layered succulent, ready for curving the leaves; punched out leaves, ready for sponging the edges.
and finally, my finished wreath. This was a fun project, and there are enough gold letters to do just about any name, or saying. The flowers and leaves do not 'have' to be put right as the picture says, and I know mine aren't in the exact same place. I didn't sponge enough on my first rose either, but had already curled it up before I realized it. Oh well.
To finish this project, you will need the following items:
Liquid Glass (Z679 - $6.95) or other thick, quick drying adhesive. I prefer the Liquid Glass to anything else though - it dries right away, and it's got some other great uses.
Quilling Tool (Z1795 - $7.95) - you can use an embossing stylus (I did), or a bamboo skewer, but it's very difficult to hold the end of the flower on to get it started. I really wish I'd had the quilling tool this time around. (I will for the next batch of roses I make)
Inks and Sponge Daubers (Z726 $4.95) if you wish to edge the paper pieces as I did.
I used the color Fern and Sweet Leaf Exclusive Inks ($7.95 ea) for the different green pieces. I used those greens on the blue-ish leaves also, but I think Glacier or Juniper would be good if you wanted to be very precise. I used Canary on my roses (tip: if you are going to sponge your roses, you can do it before you punch them out, and sponge both sides of the paper, since both sides will show.)
This is such an easy kit, it would be a wonderful way to introduce paper-crafting to someone. Or a lovely project to take with you.
If you would like to order this kit, or any of the products mentioned, please visit my Online Business Address (OBA). I'd love to be your Close to My Heart Consultant. I'm happy to answer any of your questions about Close to My Heart or paper-crafting, Just leave a comment below and I will get back to you.
