I've moved!

I'm very excited to share some big news with you!  I've now officially moved to a new website!!!

I can now be found at simplycreating.ca.  This website will be a one-stop shop for all things Simply Creating, CTMH promos and announcements, my workshops, my crops, special things I have going on, as well as my new online shop for all kinds of kit, used and discounted stamp sets, and project instructions!  Check it out.

I will also be hosting my blog there as well.  You can find that at simplycreating.ca/blog.

I hope to see you there!

Cross Canada Hop: Another of My Favourite Things

Welcome to our September Blog Hop.  Last month I participated in a team Blog Hop where we shared our favourite new products.  (I shared two projects made with the new colours.)  Today I get to join the Cross Canada Blog Hop, showcasing more favourite new products!  I'm sure you're going to see lots of great new products used in lots of creative ways.  If you see something you like contact your consultant to get it in your hot little paws.

If you arrived here from Nicky at Timeless Cottage, you're in the right spot.  If you're starting here, just keep hopping until you get back.  If you'd like to literally hop across Canada, start at Julie at 12x12 Travels.  Get lost along the way?  Michelle will have a full list of all 17 hoppers if you need it.

On with my project!

One of my favourite paper packs in the new Annual Inspirations is Pathfinding.  I love fall.  It's my favourite time of year, so I find myself gravitating to any fall products.  But this pack is also cute.  The Complements have an adorable owl and fox, along with some great sentiments and titles.  I'm excited to use this set for one of my new kit options I'll be releasing soon.

Here is one of the layouts I've created to be included:

Here are close ups of each page: 

Isn't that fox so cute?  I love the acorns and flowers; and the zip strips are such a perfect fit.  I also added in some Bling Gems for some, well, bling.  I don't have photos yet, as you can see, but I think I might go back through my past years' photos and see if I can find some that work.  I do have some catching up to do.  :)

Did you notice that there is NO stamping?  These pages came together in a snap.  Sometimes you just need that.

Time to keep on hopping.  Your next stop is Brae at The Brae-er.  Enjoy and Happy Creating!

Artfully Sent: Pop Up Cards!

Welcome Back!  I'm here with my third and final (for now) card created with the Artfully Sent Cricut Cartridge.  This one is my favourite.  I've loved seeing the pop up cards that talented crafters have created.  I'm all about the simple, hence the name Simply Creating, and so pop ups seemed like too much work for me.  This Cricut Collection has changed all that and I'm excited!!!

Here's the front.  

Isn't that fun?  But wait till you see the inside!

Super cute and super fun and fairly easy to put together.  There are score lines where you fold the balloon in the  middle to help.  It took some figuring out that I had to cut the top and bottom so the balloon would pop.  Then I used my fingers to pull the sides forward where the balloon is still attached.  You'll want to be careful where you put your adhesive so that the sentiment on the front doesn't show any.  

The entire card is cut from two pieces of cardstock, Glacier and Thistle.  The banner cuts are also linked to it, which make it easy to cut the cards.  Perfect!  And so fun to put together.  Here's another shot of the balloon from the top so you see how it pops.

Here's a tip.  Don't put adhesive on the middle of the banner, just on the ends.  I figured that out the hard way.

I hope to have some more photos of artwork created by our corporate art department to post soon.

I can't wait to get my hands on this cartridge and create some more of these!  Order yours today on my website or you can email me directly.  I've got an order going in later this week so I can add your collection to it.  Don't forget that when you do, you'll be entered into a draw for a Workshop on the Go of your choice. 

Happy Creating!

Artfully Sent: Sentiment Cards

I'm back with another card created with the newly released Artfully Sent Cricut Cartridge.

There are lots of different types of cards available on the cartridge, with one being these neat sentiment cards.  The card base is cut with a sentiment in the front.  You can leave them as is or cover the back like this card I created at convention.

We backed the hello with Glacier cardstock and the sunshine with Colonial White, then added a Canary insert that covered the whole inside of the card.  Here's a close up of what's all cut out of the front:

There's some Gold Shimmer Trim and Gold Sequins added along with some stamped flowers.  Love this one!  But my favourite card is still to come.  Stay tuned to tomorrow's post.

Hop on over to my website to purchase your own Artfully Sent Cricut Collection.  Remember, anyone who orders a collection from me by Sept. 30, will be entered into a draw for a FREE WOTG kit, of your choice.

Happy Creating!

Artfully Sent is Here!

As I'm sure you're already aware, our newest, much anticipated Cricut collection is now available to order!  And we're all VERY happy!  I'm hoping mine will be on the way later today.

 
Maybe I should explain why we had a delay of over a month (Consultants have been waiting since convention in June!).  Our Cricut cartridges are made by Provocraft, like all Cricut cartridges.  With their release of the Explore machine they have had some things to deal with and just didn't get our cartridges done in time.  They just arrived in the CTMH warehouse yesterday, and were made available to order immediately.

I've had some people ask me about projects made with this cartridge.  I don't have too many, just the three I created at convention, but I'll share them here today, and the next two days.  Here's the first one:

This is one of the swing cards.  Everything cuts out for you.  And there are really tiny ticks where you need to score your card, even smaller than our previous cartridges.  Here's another view:

Want to see more?  Just pop over to my website here.  Scroll down where you'll see links to sample cards and the shape index.  Then place an order and it will be on the way super quick.  Everyone who orders a collection, either on my website or through me directly will be entered in a draw for your choice of Workshop-on-the-Go kit*.  Just my way of saying thank you for being so patient.  

Come back tomorrow for another Artfully Sent card.  Happy Creating!

*This WOTG offer is only available through me, Krista Ritskes.

Celebrating 30 Years of Happy!

This month we have a wonderful new promotion.  It's all about the Happy!

For the month of September we are celebrating Jeanette Lynton's (our founder) 30 years in the crafting industry.  And you get to join in on the fun.  Just order $30 in stamp sets, and you'll get this sweet stamp set, called #30yearsofhappy, for FREE!  Yup, free.  That's a savings of $15.25! 

Here's a close up of the images included:

I had hoped to create some artwork with this set for you, but my sweet daughter is home sick today, so you'll just have to wait.  :)

Contact me to place your order and take advantage of this deal. Or you can go directly to my website to place your order.  

CTMH Stamp-of-the-Month Blog Hop: Family is Forever

Hello and welcome to another Close To My Heart Stamp-of-the-Month (SOTM) blog hop!  If you arrived from {Carla's blog}, you're on the right track.  If you're starting here, just keep hopping until you get back to my blog.  You'll have feasted your eyes on ALL the yummy projects.

This month we are creating with a lovely stamp set called Family is Forever.

I don't know about you, but this stamp set makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.  I am so grateful for the relationship I have with my family (my husband and kids) but also the extended family we enjoy. 

Thanksgiving is in October for those of us in Canada and so I decided to create a card for my mother-in-law.  She's the type of person who always mails a card to everyone for every occasion and I often neglect to return the favour.  Not this year!  She also makes THE MOST DELICIOUS apple pies and since I had a few chipboard pieces left from creating some layouts for kits, I made this 5x7 card:

Here's a close up of the tree.

I love the tree image in this set!  It was just begging for some fun treatments.  I inked the entire image with Chocolate ink, but then pulled the ink pad along the trunk section to give it (what I hope is) some bark-like texture.  Then I took a bunch of colours and, using sponge daubers, sponged them on the leaves in different areas.  I used Olive, Barn Red, Autumn Terracotta and even some Goldrush.  All this took some time, so I had to breathe on the entire image to moisten up the ink again.  (I love that you can do that with our dye inks!)

The papers are all from the Pathfinding paper pack and sponged with Chocolate ink.  Chipboard pieces are from the Pathfinding Complements and parts are popped with our new Thin 3-D Foam Tape. Then I just added a few Gold Bling Gems and I was done.

Make sure to contact your consultant to get your hands on this stamp set, because it's only available until September 30.

Now, hop on over to {Dana's blog} and check out the beautiful card she has created.  (Her stuff is always jaw-dropping gorgeous!  I love it.)

Happy Creating!