So long, farewell.....

This is a sad post for me this week.....this post marks my last project and blog post as a member of the Heart2Heart Challenges design team.  I have had such a great time the past six months, using the challenges to really stretch my creative borders.  The other design team members have been wonderful to work with, and they are truly amazing (and TALENTED!!) women.

So this will be the last challenge of this year.  The new design team will ring in the New Year in January, and let me tell you, I can't WAIT to see what they have in store for us!  This week our challenge is to create a Holiday Wish for you, our blog readers.  I hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas, Happy Hannukah, Merry Kwanza (I'm not sure what they say, so please forgive me!), and in general, a very HAPPY HOLIDAYS!  Thank you for being part of my life for the past 6 months, and please stop by often! 

Materials used: (all products are CTMH, unless noted otherwise):



-paper: Mistletoe Level 2 paper pack, Topiary cs, Sweet Leaf cs
-ink: Cranberry
-stamps:  Trinity alphabet stamp set
-embellishments: Color-Ready Alphabets Cork, Red Sparkles, Colonial White Waxy Flax, Art Philosphy Cricut Cartridge; Cuttlebug Swiss Dots embossing folder/Cuttlebug machine

Cardstock, cardstock, only cardstock....

This week at H2H, the challenge is to create a project sans patterned paper, using at least 3 colors of cardstock....what????!!!  I love my patterned paper so much, and it's almost painful to make something without it.  Now don't get me wrong, I love cardstock too, and with 60 different colors to choose from, there are a lot of choices.  But I like a little, ummm, I don't know... pizzazz.  That's it.  Some paper with pizzazz.  And plain ole cardstock just looks so, ummm...boring.  Luckily, Close To My Heart has some phenomenal stamps that steal the show, and that's what I used to add some pizzazz to the boring cardstock.  :-)

Once again, I just couldn't wait to use my Art Philosopy Cricut cartridge.  Are we seeing a theme, here??  LOL.  :-)  I chose the french fry box for this project.  After the base was cut, I used a new stamp set, called Love Life, to create the backgrond pattern.  I didn't realize until I pulled out the stamp set that the cut out at the bottom of the circle stamp perfectly fits the circles themselves, so it creates a layered look.  I was thrilled when I discovered this!  :-)  

The flowers were also cut from the Cricut, and then stamped with coordinating images from another new stamp set, Hooray Bouquet.  This set is quite possibly one of my very favorites.  Love it!  I used Lagoon and Creme Brulee cardstock, and stamped the images with White Daisy pigment ink.  I also added little Glitz to the top flower.  I attached them to the box with 3-D foam tape to give them some more "pop".

Since this is a "Michelle" original, of course it had to have some bling and sparkle.  This was done in the way of adding Glitz to the border piece, and also putting some Glitz in the middle of the circles.  I also add some prisma glitter to the butterfly tag (also cut out using the Cricut...I think my machine is going to blow up from overuse some day!).

My daughter's gymnastics team has a Big Sis/Lil Sis program, and I made this as a little "thinking-of-you" gift for Allie's little sis.  We filled it with her favorite candy.  Hope she likes it!!

Thanks for stopping by, and I hope you play along with us at Heart2Heart Challenges this week!  Whip up your favorite project using 3 different colors of cardstock (remember...NO patterned paper allowed this week!).  Please use mostly Close To My Heart supplies, and link it on up at H2H's blog for your chance to win some fabulous prizes!!  Have a great week!

Supplies (all products from Close To My Heart, unless noted otherwise):

paper:  Lagoon, Smoothie, Creme Brulee cardstock

stamps:  Hooray Bouquet, Love Life, Unity alphabet

embellishments:  Glitz Glitter Gel (stardust), Lagoon Mini-Medley (retired), colored hemp from my stash, Prisma glitter, Art Philospy Cricut cartridge

Happy Birthday to You....

This week at H2H Challenges, we were asked to create projects related to children's birthdays.    Our guest Design Team member, Debi Davis is playing along with us this week, so make sure you check out her blog, and leave her some love!

I thought this week would be a perfect opportunity to put my new Cricut cartridge, Art Philosophy, through its paces.  It performed beautifully!!  I made a banner, cupcake toppers, and a card, all with some cardstock, and the Art Philosophy collection.  Here is a picture (click on the image to enlarge it):

The cupcake toppers were made using the scallop circles, cut at 2", a regular circle cut at 1 1/10" (did you know you can change the increments from quarter inch to tenths of an inch?  At least you can on the Cricut Expressions machine!), and the star cut at 1".  The white part of the star is a stamp that comes in the Art Philosophy collection, and coordinates with the star cut-out.  Isn't that cool??  Once I layered the circles and stars, I placed 2 back to back, and secured them with dimensional foam tape.  I just stuck the toothpick in the foam, and put them in the cupcakes.

The banner was also made with the Cricut.  I am really loving my Cricut these days!  :-)  I have to admit that I forgot to write down what size I cut the banners at, but really you can make them any size you want.  I think it was about 3", though.  I used some B&T paper from Fanfare, and made the pleated circles, then added letters stamped using my Pennant Alphabet stamp set.  The banner images already have a hole cut out at the top, so I just threaded white ribbon through.  I also covered some dimensional elements stars with the yellow paper, to add splash of color.  Here is a close-up of a banner piece:

Last, but not least, the card was also cut from the Cricut.  This image already has the cupcake cut out...how cool is that????  I just backed the cupcake with some patterned paper, decorated it with some bling, added the border (also cut using the Art Philosophy cartridge), threw some buttons on, and done.  Easy peasy!  Oh, and the Happy Birthday sentiment is from one of the sets in the Art Philosophy collection.

Contact me if you are interested in learning more about this amazing Art Philosophy collection.  I'll even tell you the secret of how to get it at a 50% discount.  :-)  As anyone who has talked to me in the last 2 weeks knows, I am absolutely, positively IN LOVE with this bundle, and it is a must-have for all Cricut owners!  :-)

Thanks for stopping by and taking a peek.  I hope you join us at H2H Challenges this week!