4 Easy Tips for Taking Better Photos

I love taking photos but I'm certainly no expert. Here are four great tips to taking better photos with whatever camera you have -- iPhone, DSLR, or point and shoot.



Wendy Whitacre from Blue Lily photography shares tips for taking better photos for your scrapbooks. For more information about Close To My Heart, visit closetomyheart.com to find a Consultant in your area. To learn more about Wendy, visit www.bluelilyphotography.com.

If you are receiving this post via email and don't see the video please click on the post title to view.

Have a beautiful day!

~Michelle Battitori

Focus on Stamping Blog Hop

Welcome to the Focus on Stamping Blog Hop! Today, CTMH consultants will be showcasing stamping techniques of their choosing. If you've arrived from Kathy Burrow's blog you are on the right track! A complete list of hoppers can be found on Melind'a blog HERE.

I've always loved the look of clean and simple cards with bold backgrounds but thought it was a look only possible for grand watercolor artists. Not anymore! It's such a simple technique to achieve when "Stamp Around the Block!" It's really as simple as 1, 2, 3!

Simple. Bold. Beautiful! First up is Sapphire & Fern:

The next color combo I used was Saffron, Sunset, and Ruby inks:

And one more using Thistle, Gypsy, and Pacifica. The butterfly was stamped on a leftover piece of Saffron, Gypsy, and Thistle paper. A simple outline with a black journaling pen finishes this card off.

I hope you've enjoyed my project! Which color combo is your favorite? What color combo would you like to see? Leave me a comment to let me know. Now it's time to visit Haley Dyer's blog to see what she's come up with!

Basic Supplies Used 

Z3146 Watercolor Paper, 1386 Black Cardstock, Z1380 Spray Pen, D1627 Youre Own Kind of Wonderful, Z2105 Black Ink, Y1006 3x3 MyAcrylix Block, Z2045 All Purpose Mat, Z2190 Gypsy, Z2640 Thistle, Z2192 Pacifica, Z2651 Saffron, Z2191 Sunset, Z2170 Ruby. Z2648 Sapphire, Z2650 Fern

Hello Card Tutorial

 This is a card I recently made with the January Stamp of the Month, This Moment! It's as clean and simple as can be and is perfect for using the last bit of your favorite paper! Here's how to make it:

1. Gather your supplies. I started with a 1" x 5 1/2" strip of Chalk It Up paper and pulled three coordinating ink colors (Flaxen, Lagoon, Sorbet).


2. Use a pencil and a ruler to lightly draw lines 1/4" from the top and bottom of the card front and then in 1" increments in the middle. You should have five 1" sections.

3. Stamp "Hello" in Flaxen Ink in first section. Move to the third spot and stamp "Hello" in Sorbet ink. Using 2nd generation stamping (i.e., don't re-ink your stamp before stamping) stamp again in the second position. Using Lagoon ink follow above in the fourth and fifth positions. Erase pencil marks

4.Punch a circle in bottom right of card front (my punch is 1 1/4"). Close card and trace circle on inside with a pencil.

5. Open card and stamp target image in Flaxen ink centering on traced circle. Erase pencil marks.

6. Punch 1 /4" hole in Sorbet Cardstock.

7. Use a scallop circle punch (mine is 1 1/2" I think) to create border around 1 1/4" circle.

8. Complete card and embellish! I used Extra Thick Twine and an Enamel Heart on mine.


Supplies Used (All CTMH Unless Otherwise Noted):
Paper: Chalk It Up
Ink: Flaxen, Lagoon, Sorbet
Stamp: This Moment (S1501)
Other: Enamel Hearts (Z2009), Extra Thick Twine (Z3036), Ruler, Circle Punch Scallop Punch (EK Success)

I'd love to see your version of this card! If you make one please leave a link to your post in the comment section!

~Michelle Battitori

Artfully Sent Blog Hop - Gift Bags

Welcome to our Artfully Sent Blog Hop!  We will be featuring the AMAZING benefits of the newest CTMH Cricut Cartridge...Artfully Sent. If you have come here from Paige's Blog, you are on the right path! The blog hop is a great big circle, so you can start here and work your way all around.  If you get lost along the way, you’ll find the complete list of participating consultants on Melinda’s Blog.

This month we have over 40 Close To My Heart Consultants sharing their creations. This is simple to do - just click on the link at the end of the post on each blog to move to the next one! Here we go!

The Artfully Sent Cartridge is chock full of card options -- pop-ups, swing style, and scenic, with over 700 images to choose from! It's also great for embellishments and the stamps that come with the set are so versatile I see them being my go-to for A LOT of future projects!

I never seem to have enough gift bags...especially around the holiday's so I knew for my project I wanted to turn some of the holiday cards on the Artfully Sent Cartridge into gift bag decor!

If you have a large mat you could cut the full card and trim off the back but I don't. It wasn't a problem thanks to THIS very helpful tutorial and the slice feature in Design Space.

I've done the hard work already so if you'd like to make one for yourself here's the FREE Design Space file: https://us.cricut.com/design/#/canvas/project/21757000

(Note, it takes a little bit to load so please be patient)

Products Used (All CTMH unless otherwise noted):

Paper: Snowhaven (X7188B), Cranberry Cardstock, Black Cardstock, Silver Glitter Paper (Z1829)

Ink: Cranberry (Z2116), Black (Z2105)

Stamps: Artfully Sent Stamps (D1631 Curlique & D1629 Just to Say)

Other: Cricut Artfully Sent Cartridge, Black Ribbon, Gift Bag (Dollar Tree)

To make a different style gift bag here are the steps you'll need to use:

1. Open Design Space and change canvas to basic shapes. Choose rectangle and change size to the size of our gift bag (mine was 10 1/2" x 8 1/4).
2. Insert desired card from Arfully Sent Cartridge (I used Sentiment Layer on p. 49).
3. Insert basic rectangle shape and size to fit the back of the card. 
4. Hide or delete the score line layer (this is very important otherwise the slice feature won't work).
5. Select the items (but DO NOT GROUP).
6. Right click and select Slice! When the rectangle shape turns the same color as the card you'll know the slice function worked and you can remove the back of the card!
7. Size the card front as needed and continue decorating!

It may seem like a lot of steps but I promise it's really not that bad! If I wasn't so camera shy I'd make a video. Lol! 

Now "Hop" on over to Jean's Blog to see her work! Be sure to visit all the Consultants at their Blogs to get some great crafting ideas and other fun ideas! To purchase your own Artfully Sent Cricut Cartridge contact your CTMH Consultant or visit my website HERE!

~Michelle Battitori

November SOTM Blog Hop - It's the Little Things

Welcome to our Stamp of the Month Blog Hop!  We will be featuring November's SOTM, which is It's the Little Things, a set of 15 stamps.  If you have come here from Justine's Blog, you are on the right path! The blog hop is a great big circle, so you can start here and work your way all around.  If you get lost along the way, you’ll find the complete list of participating consultants on Melinda’s Blog:  http://ifyoublingit.blogspot.com/p/stamp-of-month-blog-hop-list.html.

This month we have 64 Close To My Heart Consultants sharing their creations using this month's SOTM and other great CTMH products on their blogs. This is simple to do - just click on the link at the end of the post on each blog to move to the next one! Here we go!

For my project I decided to use one of the many one sheet wonder templates I found online to create a set of 10 cards. The template I used was based on 8 1/2" x 11" papers but you can easily find 12 x 12 templates online. Below is a step-by-step tutorial of my process:

1. Select your color scheme (complete list of supplies can be found below) and cut coordinating cardstock to 8 1/2" x 11".

2. Random stamp images on White Daisy Cardstock. I started with my largest image and worked in a triangle pattern, filling in open areas with the smaller images.

3. Cut and separate pages based on the template (note, the template I used was purchased and I was asked not to share the template itself. You can find other templates on Pinterest or Google).

4. Create cards using whatever embellishments you see fit! I kept my cards pretty simple to focus on my custom stamped paper! 

I love how bright these cards feel and I look forward to trying this in other color schemes! These would make great gifts for family and friends don't you think?

Products Used (all CTMH unless otherwise noted):
Paper: Pear, Buttercup, Thistle, Outdoor Denim, White Daisy
Inks: Thistle (Z2640), Whisper (Z2172), Pear (Z2197), Outdoor Denim (Z2140), Colonial White (Z2168), Pacifica (Z2192), Canary (Z2643), Smokey Plum (Z2147)
Stamps: It's the Little Things (S1411), Frame Flair (D1546)
Accessories/Other: Harvest Baker's Twine (Z1751), White Daisy Value Pack Cards & Envelopes (X254), Cricut Art Philosophy Cartridge, Chevron Embossing Folder, Stripe Embossing Folder, Swiss Dots Embossing Folder (Cuttlebug), Border Punch, Scallop Circle Punch

Now "Hop" on over to Wendy's Blog to see her work! Be sure to visit all the Consultants at their Blogs to get some great crafting ideas and other fun ideas! Remember, the November SOTM is only available until November 30!  Contact your CTMH Consultant (or click HERE) to see how you can get this stamp set at a discount!

~Michelle Battitori

ShinHan Marker Blog Hop - Marbled Background

Welcome to our ShinHan Marker Blog Hop!  If you have come here from Kelly's Blog, you are on the right path! The blog hop is a great big circle, so you can start here and work your way all around.  If you get lost along the way, you’ll find the complete list of participating consultants on Melinda’s Blog: http://www.ifyoublingit.blogspot.com

This month we have over 40 Close To My Heart Consultants sharing their creations using the ShinHan Markers and other great CTMH products on their blogs. This is simple to do - just click on the link at the end of the post on each blog to move to the next one! Here we go!

Supply List: (all CTMH unless otherwise noted):

Paper: New England Ivy Cardstock (1282), 4x6 photo paper (Epson)

Ink: Archival Black (44751)

Stamp: In the Moment (C1565)

Other: ShinHan Markers (Vivid Green, Deep Olive Green, Mahogany, Carmine, Marigold, Barely Beige), Spray Pen (Z1380),  Magnets (Amazon), Rubbing Alcohol (CVS)

My project, a magnetic bookmark, was inspired by THIS alcohol marker marbling technique. Here's a detailed, step-by-step tutorial on how to make the marbled background:

1. Gather your supplies. You'll need ShinHan Markers (4-6 complimentary colors), Glossy Cardstock, Regular Cardstock, Ziploc-type bag, and Rubbing Alcohol Spray (a full list of products and item numbers can be found above).

 2. Insert cardstock into Ziploc bag. This is your template. I secured mine on my VersaMat with a little bit of scotch tape.

3. Color the top of the bag with ShinHan Markers making sure to cover the entire template. Actually, it's more like scribbling then coloring and you do not need to blend your colors.

4. Spritz bag with rubbing alcohol until inks look wet and droplets of liquid are visible. 

5. Place glossy cardstock (I used 4" x 6" photo paper) onto bag with glossy side down, pressing and holding for a few seconds. Lift glossy cardstock up. You can leave it as is or repeat steps 3-5 until you are satisfied with the color.

6. Use your new background to complete your project! 

To finish my bookmark I cut a piece of cardstock to 8 1/2" x 1 3/4" and folded in half. Next, I trimmed my new background piece into 4" x 1 1/2" strips and mounted onto folded cardstock. I also used a couple different sentiments from the In The Moment stamp set using Archival Black ink. To finish it off I adhered two sets of magnets to the inside of the bookmark. That's it! So easy and now I'll never lose my place in my book! 

 

Thanks for sticking around and checking out my project! Now "Hop" on over to Jean's Blog to see her work! Be sure to visit all the Consultants at their Blogs to get some great crafting ideas and other fun ideas! To purchase your own set of ShinHan Markers please contact your CTMH Consultant or visit my website HERE.

~Michelle Battitori

Annual Inspirations Blog Hop

If you are looking for inspiration to use the wonderful, brand new CTMH products then you've come to the right place! Join me and other CTMH consultants as we share our creations with new product from the Close to My Heart Annual Inspirations Idea Book!

This "hop" is a little different than others I've done. Simply click on any of the pictures below to visit other CTMH consultant's blogs and see their artwork. This hop will continue to grow with new entries until August 7, so come back to this post for more inspiration!

New entries are added at the bottom so scroll down to view the latest each day!

 

For my project I chose to focus on the Base 'N Bling Wearable Crafts line, specifically the Oval Cuff Bracelet! 

This project came together in minutes and I love how easy it was to customize my piece based on my own likes and favorite colors. Below is a step-by-step of how to create your own bracelet!

Supplies Needed (each product is linked to my web store for easy reference):

• Oval Cuff Bracelet (choose between Faux Antique Gold or Faux Antique Silver)
• Oval Glass Cover
• Liquid Glass
• Style Sheet (Signature or Journey)
• Scissors
• Pencil
• Baby Wipes or Wet Paper Towels

Step-By-Step:

 

1. Start by choosing an image from one of the two rectangular style sheets (Signature or Journey). I was drawn to the "I choose to be awesome today" sentiment from the Journey Style Sheet.

 

2. Once selected place the glass cover over top and lightly trace with a pencil. Remove glass cover and trim with your scissors. The cut does not need to be perfect but it should fit into the cuff easily. 

 3. Peel the backing off the sticker and place into your cuff. Generously apply Liquid Glass to the cuff. This is not a time to skimp! You want that cover to stay put!

 

 4. Place the glass cover on the Liquid Glass and hold for about 60-90 seconds. You want the Liquid Glass to ooze out the sides. This is to ensure you get all those pesky air bubbles out!

 

 5. Use baby wipes or wet paper towels to wipe up the excess liquid glass. It won't be completely dry but you can wear your new customized bracelet right away!

 

That's it! I told you it was easy. If you would like to make your own  bracelet please contact your CTMH consultant or visit my webiste, www.michellebattitori.ctmh.com.

Now, please enjoy the fabulous creations by other CTMH consultants by clicking on the links below!

Don't forget to come back to this post for new projects!

~Michelle Battitori

P.S. Thank you Tresa Black for setting this blog hop up! You rock!!