Now they can hush....:)

Hi Friends!

Something just totally Fun Today! I was invited to join a design team over at Creative Craft Cottage Blog a while back...the team member who chose the challenge this month chose 'Texture'.  While it's no secret that I'm not a 'technique' junky I knew EXACTLY what I was going to show you the minute they announced this month's challenge! :)

Close to My Heart Introduced our very first Cricut Cartridge (Art Philosophy) in the Summer of 2011. Artiste followed in Summer of 2012 as did Artbooking this past summer! 

I, of course was totally on board! You already know I am SUCH a thrifty person, it's just my nature....so I can really see the wisdom in a larger initial purchase - I can get WAY MORE for my money than buying punch after punch after punch or die after die after die! I mean, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to do the math....! 

Each of our Cricut Collections have 700 images! Then each of those images can be sized at intervals as small as tenths of an inch! (Holy Cricut!) Then, taking into consideration how the free 'Cricut Craft Room' software factors into the equation.....I can bend, flip, rotate, stretch, weld, (list goes on) any of my images from my cartridges in Addition to the free images in the CCR Library! Seriously they are the Best Value for your hard earned money! :) 

Okay, so I DO have a point....I'm getting there! :) 

I've heard- since our partnership with Provocraft (Cricut) - that crafters LOVE every aspect of the cartridges with one exception.....they can not emboss! Well.....Now they can hush. :)  CHECK. THIS. OUT. 

 

I Stinking LOVE this card! Every single Detail makes my heart skip a beat! :) It is a very simple, clean looking card...which is Just my Style. :)

I know, I know....nothing spectacular about! Except the way I made. it! :) I embossed with my cricut! (LOVE!) 

Here are the steps I took to get this look! :) 

Chevron is Big right now and we have such a FABULOUS (Full Page) Chevron Overlay on our Cricut Artbooking Cartridge! 

I wanted to show you what the screen of the Cricut Craft Room looks like (if you are not already using the CCR - GET TO IT! It's free and totally Awesome!) 

 

I sized them so they would be sure to fit through my Cuttlebug machine.....then just copied and pasted as many as would fit onto my page.  

I cut 3 of the the overlays....next time I will cut 4 of them to give it a more defined emboss. :)

Don't throw away your negative pieces! They make perfect embellishments for other projects! :)

Okay.....so this is the Time consuming part! You will need to adhere all of the layers together.  I thought I'd skimp on my adhesive to make it faster but I ended up making a mess first time out of the chute gate! The overlays will shift when they are being run through the Cuttlebug so you will need to make sure that they are adhered very well.  

I used ATG for the outer edges and Bonding Memories Glue Pen-Fine Point for the inside sections. :)

 

 I know...it's alot of work but think of the money you are saving! And you are getting a CUSTOM Embossing plate to suit your personal preferences! :)

Next, just use it in the same way you would any other embossing plate! I lined it up JUST RIGHT for my cardstock! I loved how I could see right through it. :)

  

It gives such a nice crisp emboss! :) I absolutely Love this!

And!! The BEST part about Close to My Heart Cardstock.....the WHITE CORE! INSTANT TEXTURE Girls!!

How Fun! I already have thoughts of embossing with all of the Fancy card bases from our Art Philosophy Cartridge as well as all of the Theme Specific Images and flourishes from Artiste...and of course Artbooking with all of it's CRAZY AWESOME Overlays make embossing with our Cricut Cartridges a Paper Crafters Dream! an Absolutely UNIQUE Dream! :)

So, the next time you hear someone say Close to My Heart has no Embossing options....you just tell them to hush and show them how easy it really is. :) I LOVE getting the most out of my money spent, don't you?! :) 

I guess I really should share the inside of my card...it will be no surprise, you already knew it would match the front, didn't you? :) 

And SERIOUSLY.....how much do you LOVE that Woodgrain Washi Tape?! (GIDDY) 

Thanks for joining me girls! Sure do appreciate each of you!

Below is another great Video from Close to My Heart with information about our Cricut Collections! :)

Blessings, Sus