Yes, I’m an Independent Maker with Close to My Heart. CTMH is a direct sales company that has been around for more than 30 years. So it’s here to stay. There is a wide selection of products from stamps to inks and other coloring mediums, to papers and many different tools. Products for stamping, scrapbooking and paper crafting in general.
While CTMH products are mainly used for stamping and scrapping, I do enjoy experimenting and using them for many different artistic media. I have used them to stamp on ceramic, fabrics, Bible journaling, and I’m sure I’ve left some things out. LOL.
My journey in the stamping world also began around 30 years ago. I was at a craft festival and bought a single stamp, an ink pad, embossing ink and gold embossing powder. I didn’t even know enough to know that I needed a heat gun for the embossing. I made a huge mess. Had no clue what I was doing. But I figured it out. I think the first time I embossed I attempted to use a hair dryer and blew the embossing powder all over the place. LOL
I eventually ventured out into my own line of rubber unmounted stamps (I hated the chunky space sucking wood blocks). Unmounted rubber stamps were perfect. They saved on storage space. Only one or two sets of blocks needed (I used clear acrylic blocks). And it was easier to see where you were stamping.
After several years I rebranded my company and made the switch to totally clear photopolymer stamps (which is also what CTMH sells). This was a game changer. Not the cheap clear plastic type of stamps at the local hobby store. These were a high quality stamp that stuck well to the blocks. Life got in the way with my boys getting older and more active in extracurricular activities.
I signed up to be a consultant with another company (not CTMH). While I loved many of the images and the accessories…..this company was determined that only wood mounted stamps or unmounted red rubber stamps were the way to go. They insisted that clear stamps were an inferior quality and they’d never go that route. After having experienced clear stamps I just couldn’t accept that I had to use rubber. So that didn’t last long. But many years later, lo and behold, they came out with clear stamps for a small selection of their images.
Fast forward to March 2022 I signed on with CTMH and LOVED everything about the company. I love that ALL of their stamps are clear. I love their storage system. I love their colors and inks and papers. I love everything. They have a generous Maker program and rewards program. And I can’t wait to be able to post more about the products and projects from this company.
I do have to admit though, between the last company and now I did try many different stamp company products, including CTMH. I have many many many CTMH stamps and die cuts and inks and paper and on and on from previous years.
So in the meantime, below are a few images I’ve chosen to share directly from CTMH. These are all images they have created for us Makers to share. I plan to do videos of making various projects using CTMH products. And will have many different written tutorials and pictures to share.
Be sure to check out my Maker site with CTMH https://javamel.closetomyheart.com
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