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

Photo inspiration week!

This week we have an inspiration challenge for you at H2H.  Here is the inspiration photo: 
                                                
One of the things that jumped out at me when I saw this photo was the glittery lime green ornament.  I love to make these myself, and they are soooo easy to create, so I thought I would show you how.

The picture just doesn't do the ornament's glittery goodness justice, but if you click on it, you can see the shimmer a bit better (and also my reflection in the glass! LOL).

There are a million and one tutorials all over the internet that show you how to make these, so I'm just going to show you the basic steps.  Here is what you will need:

-re-inker in whatever color you choose
-clear glass ornaments
-ultra fine glitter (I used CTMH's prisma glitter)
-disposable rubber gloves
-small Dixie cups

I usually use the clear glass ornaments you can purchase pretty cheaply at any big box craft store.  Remove the top, and set aside.  Pour 20-30 drops of re-inker into the ornaments, and gently swirl so that the ink covers the entire ornament. 

It's important to do this slowly and gently.  Shaking the ornament results in air bubbles and uneven coverage.

When you've covered the entire inside with re-inker, place the ornament upside down in a Dixie cup.  This allows the excess re-inker to drain out, so that it doesn't puddle up at the bottom of the ornament.  Let it dry for about 10 minutes.  Remove the ornament, and wipe off the mouth of the top...sometimes ink likes to puddle here.  If you're not happy with your ink coverage at this point, you can simply rinse the whole thing out with water, and start again!

Once you're satisfied with the ink coverage, and have cleaned up the mouth, pour several tablespoons of glitter into the ornament.  Put on your rubber gloves, place a finger over the opening of the ornament, and shake, shake, shake, until the glitter covers the entire inside.  It's OK to add more if you need to.  Pour out any excess....warning:  the glitter will be dyed whatever color your re-inker is, so don't pour the excess directly back in to your glitter jar!  :-)

Put the top back on, and there you have it.  Blinged out ornaments!  These are really pretty all on their own, or you can jazz them up by adding vinyl to the outside, or using Staz-On ink to stamp an image.  I decided to make mine a Christmas gift for my daughter's Sunday School teacher, so I made this awesome little basket for it to sit in.  You can see Liza Stenz's fabulous video tutorial here -----> awesome basket tutorial.

So what inpsires you about that gorgeous picture up top?  We'd love to know!  Be sure to link it up at H2H's blog, and earn a chance to win some blog candy.  Make it a great week, and Happy Crafting!!

Sketch time!!

My post this week is going to be very, very brief.  Many of you know that I have had back issues, and had surgery in February.  I've recovered well, but I twisted wrong or something a few days ago, and it really really hurts to sit at a computer (don't know what I'm going to do at work this week!).  So, brief blog entry it is (it will make up for all the other posts where I tend to ramble on.....).

We have a sketch challenge at H2H this week.  Here is the sketch:
                                                

And here is my interpretation:

The stitches were hand stitched, using the amazing new Ruler to make guide holes.  I popped up the sentiment with some dimensional tape.  And of course I had to add some bling.  Here is a closer look:

Thanks so much for stopping by!  I hope all my American friends had a wonderful Thanksgiving, and that everyone has a fantastic week this week!  My son plays in his first high school basketball game tonight, so I'm excited to see that.  Go Vikings!  :-)

Materials list (all products are CTMH, except where noted):

paper:  Mistletoe Level 2 (retired), Chocolate cardstock, Cranberry cardstock, Colonial White cardstock.

stamp set: Just for the Holidays

ink: Chocolate

embellishments and tools: Dark Chocolate Striped Grosgrain, Mocha Opaques, Colonial White Embroidery Floss, Ruler, Scalloped Punch,

In Time....

Last week I saw the movie "In Time", starring Justin Timberlake (man, I love him!).  The premise of the movie is that everyone stops aging at the age of 25, and only have one more year to live, unless they can "buy" more time.  It was an interesting concept, and I enjoyed the movie (but hey, really....JT on a big screen for 90 minutes?  What's not to enjoy?). 

Anyway, it got me thinking about time.  I recently returned to the work force, after being a stay-at-home mom for many years.  It has been a HUGE adjustment for all of us, and I sometimes think it would be great if we could just "buy" time, since I never seem to have enough!  This week's challenge at H2H is to create something using a "time" motif...you can use a clock, a saying about time, or anything else "time" related.  I chose to make a little desk calendar for my new desk.  The company I work for deals with an industry dominated by men, and there are definitely not a whole lot of frilly things in my office.  So I thought I'd make a little "pretty" for my desk.  Just something to look at and make me smile.  Here is how it turned out:

I used a simple 5x7 acrylic frame for my base (one of those little cheapie ones you can buy at Staples, to display flyers and things), and cut patterned paper to fit inside.  I then decorated the top of the frame with the calendar, an image cut out of Colonial White cardstock, and some bling.  I put the decorative paper clip on just to hold down the pages of the calendar.

This picture might give you a  better idea of how I layered it....

The calendar was stamped using the Month by Month stamp set.  I started with December 2011, and stamped a page for the next 12 months.  I then glued them all together, using this tutorial I found on Pinterest (can I just say how much I LOVE Pinterest!).  I used a different glue than the one suggested in the tutorial, though (I used Elmer's Craft Bond Tacky Glue, but I think any thick, white glue that dries clear would work).  It was super easy, and I can think of 101 ways to use my own note pads!  :-)

Once the calendar was stamped, I simply adhered it to the top of the frame using some red-line tape (in this case, Terrifically Tacky Tape).  Added the image and the bling, and Voila!  Desk calendar!  I can't wait to bring it in to the office, although I'm sure my boss will think I'm crazy.  :-)

Thanks for stopping by!  I hope all my American friends have a blessed Thanksgiving this week.  Be sure to take some time for yourself, and get a little crafting done, using a "time" theme.  Then link it on up at Heart2Heart Challenges!  We love to see what you create!

Materials used (all products CTMH, unless noted otherwise):
-paper:  Perfect Day Level 2 paper pack (retired), Colonial White cs, Tulip cs
-ink: Tulip, Juniper
-stamp sets: Month by Month, Key Moments
-embellishments: Perfect Day My Stickease, Clear Sparkles, Martha Stewart Scoring Board, sanding block, decorative paper clip from my home office desk drawer....

I am so grateful....

Thanksgiving is coming up, and this week for H2H Challenges we are asked to create a project for someone we are thankful for. Knowing that shortly behind Thanksgiving comes Christmas, I decided to create a gift to give away. The recipient of this gift is not on the internet all that much, and I would be surprised if she knew how to navigate to my blog even if she was on the internet, so I feel pretty confident posting it here. :-0)

One of the people I am most thankful for in my life is my mom. You can read a blog post ---> here to see how she inspires me. I am thankful every day that I still have my mom around, and that God chose her to be my mother. We live over 12 hours away from each other, but she is my best friend.

My mom loves to drink iced tea, and she is rarely seen at home without a tall glass, filled with lots of ice and her favorite tea. I decided to make her some coasters to use (those iced tea glasses sweat a lot!!). Here is a picture of my tiles:

I created a little box to put them in, and wrapped them up in some pretty ribbon. Read on for a quick tutorial on how to make your own. Here is what you need:

First, start with some unfinished tiles. I got mine at Home Depot, and the box says Travertine 4x4 tiles.  I found them in the do-it-yourself tiling section.  I think they cost around $5.50, for 9 tiles.  You will also need some Staz-On ink, and whatever stamps you'd like to create with.

Wipe any excess dust off of your tiles with a damp paper towel. Then, simply stamp your images directly on the tile, using Staz-On ink. This ink is specifically formulated to use on non-porous surfaces (tile, glass, metal), and is great to have around if you plan on doing any altered art projects. It will definitely stain your acrylic stamps, but they will still work, so don't be alarmed! I do keep some Staz-On cleaner on my craft table, so I can wipe off my stamps after I use them. That minimizes some of the staining.

(I don't know why my picture is loading sideways...it looks normal when I try to upload it, but it shows up sideways. Sorry. I'll try and go back and fix it later.)

Once I've stamped my tiles, I like to give them a quick shot of hot air with my heat gun. Some people like to put them in the oven and bake them for a few minutes, but I'm too lazy to go downstairs to the kitchen. :-) I've never had any problems with the ink smearing after I've set it with the heat gun, so I guess I'll continue to do it that way....

You will want to put some sort of protective covering on the back of the tile once it's stamped. I use plain old fun foam (available at any big box craft store...for cheap!), but you can also use felt pads, or cork. I cut my fun foam a little smaller than my tile and use Liquid Glass to adhere it to the back.

The next step is to make something pretty to put them in.  I designed a box that uses a 12x12 sheet of cardstock or patterned paper.  First, score it at 2", 4", 8" and 10".  Then turn it 90 degrees, and score it again at 2", 4", 8" and 10".  Then use the following picture to cut it:  the solid lines are cut lines, and the dotted lines are score lines:

Once you've cut the cardstock, this is what it should look like (I've added some patterned paper for decoration):

Flip your cardstock over so that your patterned paper is face down.  It would be so much easier to describe the next few steps if I had remembered to label the flaps, but I'll do the best I can.  Stay with me here, folks.  :-)

The longer piece at the bottom of this picture (the one my thumb is on) is going to be folded over the skinnier piece in the middle.

This picture was taken after I had folded two sides.  You can see on the third side how the skinny flap gets folded at a 90 degree angle.  The score line on the longer flap will go over the top of that skinny flap when it it is folded.

And here is the finished product.  Please feel free to email me if you have any questions.  I know these directions are less than stellar.  But it really is an easy box to make, and believe it or not, there is no adhesive involved!  :-)

Now it's your turn to show us who you are grateful for right now.  Use your creativity (and your Close To My Heart products!) and make something special just for that person.  Don't forget to link it up at the H2H blog for your chance to win some awesome prizes!

Thanks for stopping by, and Happy Crafting!

Cookie Sheet Advent Calendar

This week's challenge over at H2H is to add some metal to your project.  Aren't the design team creations gorgeous??  Debi and Haley's jewelry is beautiful, and Jody and Pam's cards are simply stunning.  And then there is my project.  Hmmmm.... one of these things is not like the other.  :-)  At first glance, it doesn't appear that my project uses any metal at all.  But look closer.....do you see it??

The metal on my project is the base itself....I made an Advent Calendar out a cookie sheet!! 

I've wanted to do this for quite awhile, but have just never sat down to do it.  That's why I love challenges...they give me a reason to start and FINISH a project!!  To start, I purchased a metal cookie sheet at the Dollar Store.  It measured 9 x 13.  I then used spray paint primer and regular spray paint to make it white (I've been on a crazy spray painting streak lately...nothing is safe!).  The papers are from the Believe paper pack, cut to size and Mod-Podged directly on to the cookie sheet.  The letters were cut from the Art Philosophy Cricut cartridge.  Man, I love that cartridge......

I used a word processing program to create my calendar grid, and printed it out on regualar copy paper, so the layers of paper the magnet had to stick through wouldn't be so thick.  I used my Cricut again to cut out the scalloped circles, and stamped the numbers directly onto the circles.  I knew that I needed something a little sturdier than just plain cardstock for my magnets, so I reinforced them with some thin chipboard.  Here's a little tip for some cheap chipboard...use a food box!  It's the perfect thickness to run through the Cricut, plus it's a great way to re-use something that would otherwise be thrown away.  The best part, though?  It's FREE!!

I backed each cardstock circle with two chipboard circles, and adhered some magnet tape behind each piece.  Here's where this project can get a bit pricey...I originally intended to use magnet circles for the back of each cardstock circle.  I didn't have any on hand, so off I trotted to my local crafts store.  I could only find the extra-strength magnets in a pack of 6, for $2.99 a pack.  I would have needed 5 packs, at a cost of $14.95.  That seemed a little steep to me!  I saw a roll of magnet tape on the bottom shelf, for $1.49/roll.  I decided to try that instead.  So far it's working.  :-)

Here is a close-up of the chipboard circles with the cardstock circle on top.

As each circle is removed, I didn't want to just look at a boring empty space, so I decided to jazz it up a little:

I stamped images so that they are hidden until each piece is removed.  This way the calendar will be pretty all month long!

Thanks for stopping by, and I hope I've encouraged you to try your own Advent Calendar.  I also hope you play along with us at H2H this week, and think of your own spin on using metal.  Don't forget to link it up for a chance to win some fabulous prizes!

Have a great week, and be sure to visit again really soon!  And, as always, Happy Crafting!!

Color challenge....

So last week I said that Fall had finally arrived here in Virginia.  Well, this week, I think Old Man Winter wanted to join the party.  We had a whole heck of a lot of that white stuff on Saturday.  Yes, folks, it SNOWED in Virginia...in October!  What in the the world is happening?  The last time it snowed in the Old Dominion, the year was 1979.  So now we've had a tornado, a hurricane, an earthquake and a blizzard, all in one year.  I think I want 2012 to get here as soon as possible!  :-)

But I digress.  You're here to see the newest H2H challenge, not to read a weather lesson.  :-)  This week's challenge is to use the colors Autumn Terracotta, Juniper, and Bamboo.  I love color challenges, because these are three colors I would have probably never thought to put together.  Here is what I came up with:

The card design is based on a sketch in the Wishes book, Sundial on page 14.  The stamp set is a new set in the current Idea Book, called Remarkable Wreath.  I love this set!  Sooooo pretty!

It's probably hard to see in this picture, but I added some Liquid Glas to the berries and to the bow, to add alittle dimension.  The white lines on the Autumn Terracotta cardstock were made by scoring the cardstock every 1/4 inch, then using the sanding block to expose the white core (one of the reasons I love CTMH cardstock so much!!). 

Since tomorrow starts a new month, we have a new Guest Design Team member: Allisa Chilton.  Please give her a warm welcome, and be sure to visit her at http://rockymtnpapercrafts.blogspot.com/.  We will also have some new prize sponsors, so be sure to visit the H2H blog and see what goodies you might win.  Thanks for stopping by!  Happy crafting!!

Supplies (all materials CTMH, unless noted otherwise):

-cardstock: Autumn Terracotta, Juniper, Bamboo, Colonial White

-ink: Juniper, Chocolate

-Stamp set: Remarkable Wreath

-embellishments: Juniper ribbon (from the Wings Creative Basics collection, retired), Liquid Glass

-other: sanding block, edge distresser, Martha Stewart Scoreboard

Fall is finally here in Virgina....the leaves are turning glorious shades of red, oranges, and yellows, and there is a bit of a cool nip in the air.  My very FAVORITE time of year!!  Plus, it means the arrival of one of my very favorite holidays (second only to Christmas!)....Halloween.  The challenge this week at H2H is to create something Fall of Halloween themed.  So many choices!!

I decided on a simple card.  I found this tutorial from another CTMH consultant, Mandy Leahy, and knew I had to try it.  It's brilliant!  Go check out her blog for more awesome ideas...http://www.mypassionforscrapbooking.com/.

This is the card I made.  I like that it has just a bit of sass! 

You can check out Mandy's tutorial below:

Once again, thanks for stopping by!  I've been busy making things for some vendor shows coming up which I will post soon.  In the meantime, grab those pumpkin, ghost or leaf stamps, and make something fun!

Supplies used (all products CTMH, except where noted):

-paper: Mischief Level 2

-stamps: Mischief Workshop on the Go

-inks: Sunset

-embellishments: Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge (scallop circle and flower), Pearl Opaques, orange ribbon from my stash (maybe SU?)

1,2,3,4.....

This week at H2H, the challenge is to use a number on your project.  I was surprised to find how many of my stamp sets have numbers on them!!  Anything from "You're #1", to Bingo cards with numbers, to Christmas sets.  Wow!  I love when we can look at our stamp sets with a new perspective!

I decided to go with the "Dec. 25th" theme, since that wonderful holiday is fast approaching.  I used two new stamp sets...The sentiment is from December 25th, and there is another stamp from the set Countdown.  Can you find it?

Once again, I put my Cricut to work with the Art Philosophy cartridge.  This adorable circle card looks just like an ornament!  I used some Prisma glitter at the top to give it a little sparkle.

Have you figured ot what else was stamped, yet??  It is the ric-rac ribbon!!  I used the teeny-tiny Christmas tree from the Countdown set to stamp diretly on the ribbon.  Cute, huh?  A great way to customize boring old white ribbon....

I think I might add a small pocket to the inside of this card, so I can add a gift card.  Wouldn't it make a cute little present?

Thanks so much for stopping by, and I hope you join us at H2H this week.  Our guest designer, Deb is playing along this week, too, so come check out all the inspiration!  Happy crafting!!

Supplies (all products CTMH, unless otherwise noted):

-paper: Believe level 2 paper pack, White Daisy cardstock

-stamp sets: Countdown, December 25th

-ink: Topiary, Sweet Leaf

-embellishments: Sweet Leaf Stitched Grosgrain, white ric-rac ribbon (discontinued)

-other: Art Philosophy Cricut cartridge, Prisma Glitter, Bonding Memories glue stick, scallop circle punch

Oh, no! A scrapbook page!

I am going to let you all in on a little secret...  I am a really slow scrapbooker.  And by slow, I mean go-to-a-weekend-crop-and-maybe-get-three-or-four-layouts-done kind of slow.  You know what I'm talking about.  I mean, you have to pick the pictures.  Print the pictures.  Decide on paper.  Decide on a layout (although I will say, CTMH's "How-To" books make this step go way faster!).  Reprint pictures to fit the spaces on your layouts.  :-)  Decide on embellishments.  Cut the papers. Adhere the papers.  Adhere the pictures.  Add the embellishments.  Come up with cute title.  Journal.  Go back to the layout months (or even years!) later to complete the journaling.  Oy.  So many choices!  :-)  Now, don't get me wrong, it's not that I don't enjoy scrapbooking, it just takes me a really long time to decide what I want to do on a page.  I mean, a REALLY long time.  I'm not good with decisions.  :-)  Lucky for me, it's the PROCESS that I enjoy.  The colors.  The textures.  The design principles.  Love it!  The end result of a completed scrapbook page is simply icing on the cake for me. 

So, when I found out that the challenge this week at H2H was a layout WITH JOURNALING, I must admit I panicked just a tiny bit.  I mean, we only have a limited time to get our projects done, and posted for you, after all.  What was I to do??  And then it hit me...STUDIO J (it's in all caps so you can hear me yelling this brilliant idea out loud).  Studio J is Close To My Heart's absolutely incredible online digital scrapbooking program.  It took me all of about 45 minutes to complete this layout.  Uploaded the pictures, decided on what paper I wanted to use, chose a layout design, and customized to my little heart's desire.  Placed in shopping cart, hit "submit", and Ta-Da!  Completed layout in less than and hour!!  So fast and so simple.  I love it!  Click on the picture to see the layout in more detail.

So why don't you give it a try? It doesn't cost a single penny to play around and try it out.  Simply create a free account, upload some pictures, and give it a whirl!  Click this link ----> here  to go directly to my website to start.  If you like what you see, let me know, and I'll fill you in on how you can purchase the layouts you create. 

Whether you create layout pages traditionally, or digitally ( or a combination of both!), be sure to link up at the H2H Challenges blog for your chance to win some great prizes this month!  And thanks for stopping by!

It's sketch time!

We have a sketch for you this week at H2H Challenges...won't you play along with us?  Here is the sketch:

And here is my simple interpretation:

I had a tough time with this one this week.  Not sure why.  Just wasn't feeling it, I guess.  But that's the fun thing about challenges...you can look at the challenge, and make it your own!     :-) 

Please join in the challenge this week, and stop by and say hi to our Guest Design Team Member, Debra Almanza, and our two prize sponsors this month:  Nichole Lewno, and Jena DeVries.  They have some awesome gifts to send to some lucky winners this month.  But, you can't win if you don't play!!  :-) 

Thanks for stopping by and taking a look!  I looooove comments, so feel free to leave one!   :-)  And, as always, Happy Crafting!  :-)

Materials (all products are CTMH, unless otherwise noted):
-paper:  Mischief Level 2
-stamp set: Mischief Workshop-on-the-Go
-ink: Black
-other: Art Philosophy Cricut cartridge

Just one stamp???

Out challenge for you this week at Heart2Heart is to make something using only one sentiment stamp...not one stamp SET, one stamp.  Huh.  I was originally stumped, because I normally use at least 3-4 stamps on any given project.  But then I realized that I needed to make a congratulations card, and hey! congratulations is one word!    :-)  This is what I ended up with:

I created the focal image by using just the one stamp, but stamping it several times.  I stamped it once in Smoky Plum in the middle, and used 2nd generation stamping with Smoky Plum for the other words.  Makes the intensity of the first generation stamping stand out a bit.  The flower was cut with the Cricut (duh!  Is there any other way to do it, anymore?!), and a pearl opaque was placed in the center, as well as around the focal piece (which, by the way, was also cut using the Cricut!).  Sonoma papers, and cocoa ribbon finish it off.  Here is my favorite part of the card, though:

Do you see that little hanging thingy at the bottom of the circle??  They are from the new Heirloom Assortment, which includes 6 self-stick resin flowers, and 6 dangle-jewels with brad (in 2 different colors).  Soooooo cute.  Totally adds that "wow" factor!

The recipient of this card has not received it yet, so I will let it be a surprise (although I think she reads this blog, so I probably just let the cat out of the bag.  Oh well).  Put on your thinking caps, make something using just ONE sentiment stamp (preferably a Close To My Heart stamp!), and link it up at H2H!  Happy Crafting!!

Materials: (all products are from CTMH, unless otherwise noted):
paper:  Sonoma level 2 pack, Olive cs, Smoky Plum cs, Colonial White cs
stamps: Limited Edition (this is the September stamp of the month...only 5 more days to purchase this stamp set for just $5!  Click the button on the right to see how.....)
ink: Smoky Plum
embellishments: Pearl Opaques, Heirloom Assortment, Art Philosophy Cricut cartridge, Cocoa ribbon collection

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

H2H Challenge with shapes!

For the challenge this week over at Heart2Heart Challenges, we were asked to make a projcet using die-cut shapes.  Well, since my new Art Philosophy Cricut cartridge has been in almost constant use since the end of July, this was an easy week!  :-)

One of the things I absolutely adore about the Art Philosophy cartridge is the ability to create shaped card bases.  This week's card was made using one of them.  My daughter's favorite gymnastics coach and his wife welcomed a new baby boy in to their lives a few weeks ago.  I have yet to make a congratulations card and/or purchase a  gift, so I used this challenge to get my rear-end in gear.  In addition to the congratulations card below, I am also making a mini-album, and I will share pictures of that later this week (as soon as I get it finished!). 

With the exception of the elephant and giraffe, every single item on this card was cut with the Cricut.  The card base and patterned paper?  Yep!  The scalloped circles?  Yep.  The focal sentiment piece?  Yep (and the cut-out piece was then stamped with a coordinating stamp that fits the shape exactly.  Heaven!!)  The teeny-tiny little tag?  Yep again (and the little heart on the tag, too!  See the picture below for a close up of the tag!). 

Dimensional tape was used to attach the sentiment to the inside of the card, so that it pops out through the window on the front.  I have to confess, and say that I did use my Gypsy with my Cricut to manipulate images and create the cut-out in the middle.....but only because I wanted to create the layered look with my patterned paper. With this particular card base, the front panel is solid, so I used the Gypsy to cut out the squared image in the middle.  It would be possible to do this with a Cricut Expressions or Create or Imagine as well, using the Center Point feature.  You can also check out the new Cricut Craft Room online....and it's FREE!!  Google it.  :)  There are plenty of other cards on the cartridge that would have worked if I just wanted the center panel cut out, however.  I just like to make things complicated.  :-)  Here is a picture of what the popped-up sentiment looks like:

Now I just have to find the time to finish the coordinating mini-album, and give it to Baby Carter and his family before he starts Kindergarten (yes, I know that's a bit of an exaggeration, but I work slowly!).  :-)   Thanks for stopping by, and I'm looking forward to seeing what you and our Guest Design Team Member, Jane Haas come up with.  Make sure you use mostly all Close To My Heart products, and be sure to link it up at http://heart2heartchallenges.blogspot.com/ for your chance to win some great prizes!!

Materials used (all products are Close To My Heart,except where noted):
-paper: Elemental level 2 paper pack, Desert Sand cs, Pacifica cs, Colonial White cs
-stamp sets: Zoology, Cricut bundle set, Love Life
-ink: Pacifica, Creme Brulee, Grey Flannel, Chocolate
-embellishments: Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge, Pin Clips, Pewter Mini-Medley, mini diaper pins (from my stash...maybe Making Memories?), colonial white ribbon

Color Challenge, continued....

Last week's challenge at Heart2Heart Challenges involved the colors Cocoa, Pear and Sorbet.  This week, we're asked to create projects in the color combo that we love the most.  Now, I love many different color combinations, depending on what type of project I'm making.  But I'm definitely a "Pink" girl (ask anyone who knows me!), and I especially like pink when paired with a bright green, Like Pear.  Here is what I decided to make:

I absolutely love the colors in the Sophia paper pack, particularly Hollyhock and Pear, and since I have plenty of paper from this line, I decided to use some of them up.  I went with the theme of "consume, not collect", and deccorated these paper mache letters that I've had sitting around FOREVER!  I painted them, then traced them onto the Sophia paper, cut out the letters, and used Mod Podge to adhere them to the paper mache letters.  I then used my sanding block and finishing files to even out the edges.  Some stamping and some embellies finish it off.  These letters now grace the top of my much beloved Ikea Expedit book shelf in my craft room, inspiring me to CREATE every day!!

Blogger is being very persnickity about letting me upload any more photos.  I promise I will come back soon and post some close ups of my letters. Hope you enjoy this project, and I invite you to play along with us this week at H2H.  We've got a guest Design Team member joining us for September...Jane Haas.  Please give her a warm welcome, and visit her at http://scrappy-gram.blogspot.com/.  We have 2 new prize sponsors as well:  Heather Hunt (www.creativecoconut08.blogspot.com) and Kelly Jo Ratcliff (www.kjsstamppad.blogspot.com).  They've got some really great prizes to give out, and you can win this month simply by playing along with our challenges!

Thanks for stopping by, and Happy Crafting!! 

H2H Challenge...pear, sorbet and cocoa

This week at H2H the challenge is to use the colors Pear, Sorbet and Cocoa.  I chose to make a card, which I think I will give to my daughter, since today is her first day back to school.  She is starting middle school this year, and is a little anxious about the transition from elementary to middle school, and all the changes that entails.  Here is the card:

I used a clear round acrylic card, and decorated it with some Pear patterned paper from the retired Olivia paper pack.  Some sorbet patterned paper from the new paper pack Elemental, and some Cocoa cardstock, and poof! The card is ready for the sentiment (both the image and sentiment are from the new Pair-A-Phrase set...ask me how to get this versatile set for FREE!). 

Here is a close up of one of my favorite details...I used a stick pin from the new Bling Assortment.  I really like these a lot, and I need to figure out a way to use them in some more projects! 

I don't know if you can see it clearly in the picture (click it to make it bigger), but the "stitches" on the Cocoa cardstock were made with the new Ruler.  This thing rocks!!  It has evenly spaced guide holes, which made it easy to use my paper piercer to punch holes.  I then just used a regular pen to "connect" the holes, creating a faux stitch.  Looks cool, no?  :-)

Thanks for looking!!  Please be sure to check out what the other design team members have in store for you this week.  They continually blow me away with their creativity!  Why don't you play along with us this week, and create something yourself? 

Happy crafting!

Materials list (all products CTMH, except where noted):

-base:  4 1/2" Assortment clear cards

-paper:  Olivia L2, Elemental L2, Cocoa cs, Sorbet cs, Colonial White cs

-stamp set:  Pair-A-Phrase

-ink: black, Cocoa

-markers: Sorbet, Chocolate, Desert Sand, Bamboo, Sweet Leaf

-embellishments:  Pearl Opaques, Bling Assortment, Cocoa ribbon, edge distresser



It's hot, hot, hot........

Our challenge for you at H2H this week is to use the word "hot" as your inspiration..... it can be an image, colors, whatever makes you think of the word hot.  I'm eager to see what everyone comes up with!

For me, the word hot is very relevent, as it's been HOT here in Northern Virginia!  To me, the best place to be when it's hot is sitting on the beach, toes in the sand, cold beverage and a good book in hand.  Unfortunately for me, I'm landlocked, with no beach nearby, so I thought I'd recreate a beach scene, so I can go there in my mind.  :-).  I wanted to try my hand at the brayer technique, since it's probably the one stamping technique I've not ever tried.  Splitcoaststampers.com has a wonderful tutorial on this technique.  It looks so easy!  You can see it here.  Well, let's just say I have some more practicing to do!  :-)  Of all the samples I attempted to make, this was the only one that even came close to resembling the image in my head. 

I created the sky by first cuting out a 1" circle, and temporarily adhering it to the top left corner of a piece of white cardstock (already trimmed to 6 1/4 x 4 1/4).  I used a piece of scrap paper, and covered up the bottom 1/3 of the cardstock, then inked up my brayer and ran it across the top 2/3 of the cardstock.  The circle acts like a mask, so when I was done rolling on the blue ink, and I took of the circle, I was left with a white circle.  I used the negative image of the circle (from the scrap that I punched it out of), and placed that over the circle, and sponged Sunflower ink and Autumn Terracotta in the open space.

I used Bamboo for the beach, and brayered that on the bottom of the card.  I used the Daydream stamp set to stamp the images on a scrap piece of paper, colored them with markers, and cut out the pails and the umbrella to adhere to the card (the "sand dune" was stamped directly on the card).  The sentiment comes from the special stamp set called "Pair-a-Phrase", which is only available from August 15-Sept. 30 (get it FREE with a qualifying order...more on that later!). 

OK, so I know we are our own worst critic, ad though I tend to be a perfectionist, I'm still pretty happy with how this card turned out.  Now I just need to figure out a way to get to the beach!  :-)

Hope you play along with us at H2H this week.  Our guest DT member, Debi, is playing along too, and wants some company!  :-)

H2H Challenges...a sketch!

This week over at Heart2Heart Challenges, we were challenged to create a project based on this sketch:

This challenge was perfect timing....my fabulous upline, Traci Pasqualone, won the prestigious Rising Star Award with CTMH this year (YAY!!!!!!!), and I couldn't be prouder of her!  I wanted to make a card to congratulate her, so I decided to use this sketch as my starting point.  I followed the sketch pretty closely, and ended up with this:

Now, this may not look like a CTMH card, but it is....I made it with all -new product from the Fall/Winter Idea Book.  Our very generous company gave Convention attendees a ton of new product, and I couldn't wait to bust in to it and create something.  This was the perfect opportunity! The papers are from the Roxie collection.  And here are some close-ups of some new items:

You know how I love my bling!  CTMH has introduced a new Bling Assortment.  This includes two sizes of bling buttons, as well as some really cool stick pins (see next picture).  Awesome!

These stamped images are made with a new set called Blue Ribbon.  See the scalloped circle, and the star at the top....they coordinate with the new Art Philosophy Cricut caridge!  Woot woot!  And you can see the little stick pin from the Bling Assortment up at the top.....

One of the best announcements at Convention was the introduction of "Zip Strips".  These little strips of paper are on the edge of the 12x12 patterned paper, and are meant to be used as decoration.  One side identifies the paper pack, the other side is decorative.  I can't tell you how thrilled I am to get the little "CTMH" logo off the actual patterned paper!!  There are only so many creative ways you can cover that little guy up!  :-)  "You're My Inspiration" is from one of the papers in the new Roxie collection.  I simply cut off the words, and matted it to a piece of black cardstock.

Thanks for stopping by!  I can't wait to see what you create this week!  Make sure you link it up over at h2hchallenges.blogspot.com for a chance to win some awesome give-aways this month.  :-)