Everything ABCs Blog Hop - Letter E

Welcome to the Everything ABC's Blog Hop!

For this hop we will be featuring the letter "E". This may be the name of a paper, a stamp set or an embellishment. Whatever the crafter has chosen as their "E" element will be featured in their post.  If you came from Lauren Moore at CTMH Craftings, then you're on the right track!

I love embossing, so my first thought was to create a project with embossed images!  Somewhere along the way, my project turned into Easter cards...without any embossing!  The Artfully sent cricut cartridge has so many fun card options on it.  From the Easter selections, I created these two cards.

The Paper Fundamentals are so fun and playful!  The glossy tone-on-tone designs are a fantastic way to add subtle POP to your projects.  Shown here is the Sorbet hexagon paper.  You can also see the texture in the Flaxen extra thick twine used across the top of the card.

The Happy Easter card was cut twice - white for the card base and glacier for the overlay (trimmed to a small rectangle around the sentiment).  To add dimension, the overlay was popped up on 3-D Foam tape and aligned slightly to the left to give a shadow effect. 

Inside the card, I got a little carried away with these mini bunnies (also cut from the same key on the Artfully Sent cartridge).  The bunnies show the oppostie side of the Paper Fundamentals line (white design on color).  The sentiment comes from the stamp set included in the Artfully Sent package and was stamped in Whisper ink.

After tying the knot in the flaxen ribbon of the first card, I trimmed the ends off.  Looking at them on my desk, all I could think was "they look like grass."  That is how my second card came about!  Several varying lengths of flaxen twine were cut and the two ropes separated.  Each piece was attached to the bottom edge of a larger bunny.  To cover the base of the "grass," more flaxen twine was wrapped around the cardstock piece.  To compensate for the twine wrapped around the back, I popped that whole piece on 3-D Foam tape and mounted it on more Sorbet Paper Fundamentals.  I LOVE how this bunny turned out!

Thanks for stopping by!  I hope you enjoyed my "E" creation.  Here is a list of Close to my Heart supplies used for this card:
Z2033 - Paper Fundamentals - Whimsy Assortment
Z1752 - Sparkles - Clear Assortment
Z3017 - Cricut Arfully Sent Collection
Z3036 - Extra Thick Twine - Flaxen
Z1151 - Foam Tape
CTMH Exclusive Inks in Whisper
CTMH Cardstock in White Daisy, Sorbet, Glacier and Whisper

All items can be purchased through my CTMH website.

Your next stop on our Everything ABC's blog hop is Dominique Groulc at Fun2cre8.  In case you get lost along the way…go to Scrappy Therapy for a complete list of participants 

February Stamp of the Month - A Happy Hello

Febraury's Stamp of the Month is "A Happy Hello."  This set is normally $17.95, but can be purchased for only $5 with any $50 purchase.  This is a great deal for a very versatile stamp set!

Check out these beautiful cards featured in the CTMH Annual Inspirations Idea Book using this stamp set.  This first card uses a card base cut from the CTMH Artfully Sent cartridge, and the circles are backed with stamped images from the "A Happy Hello" stamp set. 

 

Notice on this second card that the butterflies are even embellished with the stamps!  When you first glance at the stamp set, flowers comes to mind.  But, there are so many more possibilities!

 

If you'd like to order your own "A Happy Hello" stamp set, visit my CTMH Website!

Music To The Eyes Blog Hop

 

Welcome to the Close To My Heart Technique Blog Hop.  If you are coming from Denise Elliot's page at Inspired by D, you are on the right track.  There are 15 participants in the hop today and we are all showcasing the "Music To The Eyes" technique found on page 34 of the CTMH Annual Inspirations Idea Book.  

I choose to implement the technique on a Pumpkin Carving layout featuring the Scaredy Cat Paper Packet.

Banners are such a fun addition to fill the empty space in a layout, and CTMH offers a stamp set full of banners!!!!  The little flags from Bodacious Banners were stamped using Thistle, Sunset and Pear ink.  This stamp set coordinates with the Art Philosophy Cricut Cartridge, so the shapes were easy to cut out.  Each stamped area was outlined in black journaling pen to make it pop off of the paper!

The same technique was implemented for the Jack O Lantern from the Halloween Greetings Stamp Set.  So you can get a feel for the impact of outlining, here is the Jack O Lantern half completed.

The flags were randomly arranged to make 3 banners on the right edge of the layout.  Black enamel stars separate each individual flag.  The Frightfully cute saying is also from the Halloween Greetings set.

The picture of my daughter holding up the pumpkin "guts" was such a fun picture that I wanted to make sure it was highlighted.  Using the "love it" stamp (All the Details Stamp Set) was the perfect way to draw attention to the "guts."  The arrow was outlined in black to give it more POP!

While the actual journaling hasn't been completed yet, the journaling box is all decked out and ready to tell the story behind the pictures.  A dash/dot pattern outlines the edge of the box giving it some definition.  Black enamel stars were used to adorn each corner.  The date stamp is from January's National Papercrafting Month Stamp Set, Year >>Noted. 

To embellish the upper left corner, a trio of notched papers was added.  The green polka-dot piece is actually one of the flags from Bodacious Banners.  Instead of using the cricut shape, the stamp was trimmed flush with the edge.

Close To My Heart Supplies used for this layout:
X7185B - Scaredy Cat Paper Packet
Z3011 - Scaredy Cat Assortment
D1555 - All the Details Stamp Set
D1607 - Bodacious Banners Stamp Set
D1605 - Halloween Greetings Stamp Set
Z1686 Cricut Art Philosophy Collection
CTMH Exclusive Inks in Pear, Thistle, Sunset and Black
CTMH Cardstock in Pear, Sunset, Thistle, Black and Colonial White
Above items can be purchased through my CTMH website.

CTMH Supplies no longer available:
National Papercrafting Month Year>>Noted Stamp Set
Creme Brulee Cardstock

Thank you for checking out my "Music to The Eyes" creation.  You have reached the end of today's hop.  To start over at the beginning, please visit Sheila Bennett!

"D" is for Doodled Designs Blog Hop

 

Welcome to the Everything ABC's Blog Hop!

For this hop we will be featuring the letter "D". This may be the name of a paper, a stamp set or an embellishment. Whatever the crafter has chosen as their "D" element will be featured in their post.

If you have just hopped onto my blog, please start at the beginning at Linda's blog ~ Scrappy Therapy.  If you came from Pam Trostle at Pam's Craft Creations, then you're on the right track!

A few weeks ago, I showcased the Doodled Designs stamp set being used in a similar way to examples in the idea book.  Today, I am going to show the versatility of that stamp set by using it in a different way - as a background stamp!

The stamp set was released in our recent Seasonal Expressions Idea Book.  It is only $6.95 and includes a fun overlapping circle, as well as a few accent stamps.  

Using the Canary, Lagoon, Pixie and Smoothie Inks, the overlapping circle was randomly stamped on a piece of white daisy cardstock.  For one of the cards, the entire background was covered with the circles in varying colors.  For the second card, each color was stamped once in a diagonal pattern.  These techniques would also look fantastic as a background for a scrapbooking layout!

Each background piece was matted with Lagoon cardstock, then mounted on a white daisy card base.  The "Happy Birthday" stamp, from the Banner Wishes set, was stamped in black on a strip of white daisy cardstock.  The top and bottom edges were scored to add a little dimension!  The sentiments were then accented with Canary and Smoothie strips. 

I love adding sparkle to my projects, and the Silver Sequin Assortment fit that role on these cards.  Looking through my idea books, I am always in awe of the seemingly random placement of embellishments on cards and layouts.  There doesn't seem to be a pattern to them, but they always look fantastic!  I want to recreate that look, but always feel that my embellishments still look "placed."  Hopefully, the more I attempt this technique, the more random my embellishments will appear!

Thanks for stopping by!  I hope you enjoyed my "D" creation.  Here is a list of Close to my Heart supplies used for this card:
A1170 - Doodled Designs Stamp Set
B1438 - Banner Wishes Stamp Set
Z2013 - Silver Sequin Assortment
Z1151 - Foam Tape
CTMH Exclusive Inks in Black, Lagoon, Smoothie, Pixie and Canary
CTMH Cardstock in White Daisy, Lagoon, Smoothie, and Canary

All items can be purchased through my CTMH website.

Your next stop on our Everything ABC's blog hop is Lauren Moore at CTMH Craftings.  In case you get lost along the way…go to Scrappy Therapy for a complete list of participants 

Album Allure - February Special

In the past year, Close To My Heart has remade all of their albums - all the way down to the basic structure!  The post bound albums no longer need a screwdriver!!  Check out this video from Close To My Heart to see more of the updates!

During the month of February*, when you purchase one of Close To My Heart’s alluring coated canvas albums you will be eligible to receive a second album of your choice at half price. That is a savings of over $17! These albums are available in a gorgeous variety of colors and patterns in both post-bound and D-ring styles—perfect to pair with traditional, Studio J^®, or pocket scrapbook layouts. This offer is only available while supplies last, so make certain to get your order in early to ensure you can choose the styles and colors you love. They’re going fast and are built to last; so don’t delay—place your order today!

View all of your options on my website.

*Offer valid while supplies last February 1, 2015 (9:00 am MST)–February 28, 2015 (11:59 pm MST). Shipping/handling is calculated based on the full retail price of the discounted items ($34.95 USD ).

School Pictures - 2nd Grade!

Now that my daughter is halfway through her year in Third Grade, I decided I better get caught up on her school album.  At her school, they take pictures in the fall and spring.  For the first time, her outfits for both pictures coordinated (making it much easier to plan my layout)!  Both outfits had blue and turquoise, and I decided to pull out the orange from her dress in the fall picture to accent with.

I still had some Cloud Nine paper left from last January's National Papercrafting Month Promotion and thought the Lagoon and Sunset patterned paper would be perfect for my layout. I incorporated leftover pieces of the diagonal striped Lagoon paper, and topped it all off with CTMH's new blue shimmer trim!  I mixed and matched a lot of papers and stamp sets to make this layout, but I am so happy with how it turned out.

"Fabulous" and "Friends" (from the old Designed Decor Frame Stamp Set) were stamped to add a little fun to her class picture.  "This Year's" and "highlights" (from last month's National Papercrafting Month stamp set, Year >>Noted) were stamped next to the journal box showing some details from her year in second grade.

I am horrible at writing in straight lines, so I like to have lined journal boxes when I write.  These journal boxes were made using the notebook paper stamp that comes in the Cricut Artbooking Collection.  I just trimmed off the ends that made it look like notebook paper.  For the longer one, I actually stamped the image twice to make longer lines (so easy to do with the see-through stamps).  Each journal box was accented with an arrow (cut from the Artbooking cartridge) popped up on 3D Foam tape.

The title was stamped in Sunset ink using the Handwritten Print Stamp Set - such a fun and playful set! The sides were accented using an arrow stamp from last month's National Papercrafting Month stamp set, Year >>Noted. 

To mirror the gems on the neckline of her sweater, I added a few assorted sparkles. Some were colored using my turquoise ShinHan Touch Marker.

 "An original" (from All the Details stamp set) was stamped in Lagoon ink and cut out to mirror the words on the opposite page.  "Smile" (also from the Artbooking stamp set) was stamped in Sunset, punched out using the 1" circle punch and then popped up on 3D Foam tape.

I just LOVE this new blue shimmer trim.  The color is beautiful and it coordinates perfectly with my daughter's dress! 

Thanks for checking out my latest layout.  Here is a list of CTMH supplies used:
Z1906 Cricut Artbooking Collection
D1555 All the Details Stamp Set
Z3025 Blue Shimmer Trim
Z1151 3-D Foam Tape
Z2465 Turquoise Blue ShinHan Twin Touch Marker
Z1752 Sparkles, Clear Assortment
E1030 Handwritten Print Stamp Set
CTMH Cardstock - Lagoon, White Daisy and Sunset
CTMH Exclusive Inks - Sun
All Materials listed above can be purchased through my Close to my Heart website.

CTMH Materials No Longer Available:
Cloud Nine Paper Packet
Skylark Paper Packet
Designed Decor Frame Stamp Set