Kat Ancheta at Close To My Heart

Ok, so something really cool happened!  I met Kat Ancheta through/on one of the lists I belong to.  She asked me to participate in a Design Team activity for her new business at Close To My Heart (visit Kat at katancheta.ctmh.com to check out all the really neat products she has available!).  Two weeks later I received a randomly picked design team package with nautical themed paper and some great stamps. 

Now, you may have seen from previous posts on my blog that I 1) do not design things men would normally admire or want and 2) I tend to design vintage type things SO... what did this mean for Kat's challenge?  I really had to sit down and let the paper draw me in and tell me what it wanted to be! So here comes the cool part... I started out and made a card (a challenge for me since I struggle with cards for some bizarre reason).  Then, feeling that I did not do Kat's Close To My Heart package justice it was back to the drawing board.  Second project, a simple, neat little spiral bound note book that my husband could easily fit in his pocket.  At that point I was still dissatisfied with my work product - the items were nice but I felt I owed Kat MORE. 

Finally, this last week inspiration hit me on the back of the head like a well aimed smack!  From scratch, referencing no tutorials, I made the COOLEST 3-D sailboat that includes all things great - colorful paper, raised stamped images, pinwheels, streamers, crepe paper, and of course GLITTER. :)  So please stick with me through the photos that follow. I really want to share my sailboat with everyone but not before I show you photos of my DT package and the shutter-fold card as well as the note pad.  I hope you will be able to see the progression!

   

 This paper pack from Kat's Close To My Heart store is called "Tommy" and includes an assortment of color-coordinated paper.

These great stamps came in with my DT package from Kat as well and are titled PinWheel.  May I just add that these really are very nice clear acrylic stamps - I had no problem getting clean, crisp images with them for which I am terribly grateful as I am not a gifted stamper!

 So I definitely watched a YouTube tutorial on how to make a shutter fold card. Surprisingly, it was not as difficult as it might look!  The wonderful thing was that all of the card stock from Kat's design team package coordinated beautifully and all I added was some Glossy Accents!

Throughout the little note pad that follows I have included random decorative accents from Kat at Close To My Heart. Also, to let my husband know that I am thinking of him when he is out moving cattle or checking horses I have written short little messages like, "I am thinking about you!" randomly throughout the pages (photos of messages not included! lol).

 You see the yellow flap sticking up here?  This is the closure on this little notebook.  I used small magnetic discs from Basic Grey to ensure that this would hold itself closed when not in use.

Now, for my piece de resistance!!  :::: drum roll ::::  Hoist the anchors, untie the ropes, and drop the sails...

 So the neat thing about this boat is that it is actually a gift box. :)  You simply lift up the top part (seen below) and you can insert candies or a small gift in the little box on the bottom.  There is also room to actually put candy (or teeny tiny passengers) in the boat!

 Once I figured out what I wanted to make, the construction of this boat was great fun!  Both sides could be displayed as the back is directed exactly the same as the front - the only difference being that my "masts" (inked popsicle sticks) show more on the back side. 

I painted the outside of the box with some Liberty Blue Accent brand paint I just happened to have on hand and lined the inside of the box with craft colored card stock as well as some of the patterned paper from my DT kit.  The banner on the outside is actually a piece of yellow organza type ribbon that I inked red and the printed border that was on the top of one of the 12 x 12 designer papers.

If you've hung in there this long I truly appreciate it. Kat has a lot of great products available on her website at katancheta.ctmh.com - please take a minute to check it out!

Best,

MistiRose