Monday, January 31, 2011

February Stamp of the Month Blog Hop!

Welcome to our CTMH Stamp of the Month Blog Hop! We will be featuring February 's SOTM called Friendship, a set of 8 beautiful damask stamps. I am loving these as a monochromatic background!

If you have come here from Deanne's Blog you are on the right path! If this is your first stop, you may want to go back to Helen's Blog and start from the beginning!

This month we have about 70 Close To My Heart Consultants sharing their artistic creations using this month's SOTM and other great CTMH products on their blogs. Hopping is simple to do - just click on the link at the end of the post on each blog to move to the next one! Here we go!

I did a purse card with this elegant stamp set for February. I stamped the background of the card with one of the damask stamps inked in Sorbet and rolled in Juniper ink. Working on a small canvas like this, it was really easy to line everything up pretty evenly - being able to see through the stamps makes that job a lot easier!

I freehand cut the purse handle from my card base for the front and back - it's attached along the top of the handle. Then I covered it in Sorbet CS that I swiped with an acrylic block inked in Sorbet and Juniper inks to give it more texture.

I created one of those adorable pom pom flowers using my new Scallop Punch and the new Lucky papers - can you see the Bingo card pattern in my flower? I pounced my completed flower with Desert Sand ink. I created a cute little tag to slip behind my flower, with a second generation image stamped over my 1st generation sentiment. 

Finally, I cut a piece of 3 inch wide Sorbet CS to make the base of my "purse". I scored it at 1/2 inch from each side, and at 1 1/2 inches (or the middle/in half), then folded it in half with a mountain fold and flipped the 1/2 inch edges up. Those little flaps I adhere to the bottom of my card to complete the purse - it could hold a little baggies of candies, or gift cards, etc...

Now "Hop" on over to Tonya's blog to see her work! Be sure to visit all the Consultants at their Blogs to get some great crafty ideas for more fun projects! Remember, the February SOTM is only available until the last day of February!  Be sure to ask your CTMH Consultant how to get yours FREE (or click here) - you're gonna love it!

Sunday, January 30, 2011

Studio J rocks!

I spent a couple hours on Studio J last night, and $35 later I had finished 7 layouts - so awesome!

Here's one of my pages - adorable new pics of Max. I used the Cherry-O paper pack, but changed a bunch of the papers to tones of grey and black - colors that are not in the kit. I love the new controls that allow you to take any of the B&T patterns in a kit and change the colors and saturations to match whatever color you need! And it was so simple - just point and click.

The new lining up tools were useful too - as you are placing items, there are little blue guidelines that appear to help make things even. That's how I lined up my row of brads across the scalloped border. So simple - I had a blast Studio scrapping last night!

Check back tomorrow - it's almost Blog Hop day!

Monday, January 24, 2011

Mojo Monday 175

It's Mojo Monday! Love the sketch today - and I made a card with no stamping on it! I broke out the new Bliss papers...yes, the ones I said I wasn't too sure about...until I saw them in person. I should know better by now. The paper is gorgeous in person!

I sanded all the Desert Sand Cardstock, and inked all the B&Ts in Desert Sand ink. Then I made one of the new puffy scallop flowers I'm obsessed with - you're gonna see a bunch of these in my next few posts.

I'm working on a video on how to make them, but they are so sweet and easy! You stack up scalloped punches and secure them with a Bigger Brad in the center. Scrunch up each layer until you've squished the whole flower, then un-squish it a bit to make it resemble a little carnation. Voila! Sometimes I'll re-squish it a bit flatter with an acrylic block...or an open stamp pad to add some color distressing. The new 2" scallop punch is just one of my favorite new things!

Finally, I grabbed some printed satin ribbon from my stash and added the sentiment line, highlighted that with a double row of Opaques pearls. I trimmed a butterfly out of one of the Bliss B&Ts and popped that up with a bit of Bitty Sparkles to highlight the body. So much fun! now you go out and make up the sketch - thank you Mojo Monday!

Monday, January 17, 2011

Mojo Monday 174

Twice in one day? I know, I know - but I want to keep up my Mojo Monday resolution! So I sat down tonight after my birthday dinner out with John (pie theme: Shepard's and coconut!) to make up a card using the gorgeous new Sweetheart papers I've been playing with all day!

I used the Pink Plaid and Black Floral B&Ts as my card basics. I punched the scallop with my NEW 2" CTMH scallop punch (yea!), filled it in with one of my Sweetheart Epoxy stickers, and pierced the holes around the outer edge. then I detailed the scallop with Glitter Glitz around the epoxy sticker.

I stamped the heart using the sweetheart workshop exclusive stamp set. I added the other two epoxy stickers and more Glitter Glitz.

I pleated a 3/4" strip of the Plaid B&T, using the back, black side this time and adhered that across the bottom in place of ribbon. Then I trimmed out the Red stitched ribbon AND the floral stitches row from the striped paper and adhered those over the paper pleated "ribbon". Glitter glitz in the flower centers, and I was done!

Sweetheart Workshop Wall Hanging!

I am so happy with how this adorable wall hanging came out! Want to make it with us? We'll be making this Beautiful canvas wall hanging PLUS 4 scrapbook pages AND 6 cards in February for just $35! 

Thursday, January 13, 2011

Sophia Paper Swap Sneak Peek

You know how when you're super busy and you think you can't say yes to anything else...and then something comes along you really want to say yes too? So I got an invite to re-join Tina Lovell's sweet swap group, and I thought, "Awesome!" Did I say I was too busy to add something else to my plate right now? Oh, well!

 So when I'm doing a swap I tend to add details I would never normally try to mass produce. In this case, I only have to make 4 cards for the swap, so I don't feel pressured to keep it too simple - hooray!

I used my NEW CTMH 2" scallop punch to create the neat folded flowers. I spritzed my cardstock scallop punched pieces with a light misting of water...ok, stamp pad cleaner - it was the closest wet thing on my table besides the Pepsi Max. Then I scrunched the scallops until the paper was more pliable and folded them in half each way, plus once on a diagonal in between the crosshatch I made with the first two  foldings. Then you squeeze the diagonal fold into the center to create the flower petal - like making a squash book, only for flowers!  Put four of those folds together and it's a pretty cute multi-layer flower. I sanded each flower "petal", then inked them with Goldrush ink as well.  Two of our adorable new Pink assortment craft buttons finished off my paper folded flower nicely. I love all the new button designs - striped, flowered, all so sweet!

This paper is the new Sophia paper, which will be available in February. It's so cute - all pink and green. I swiped all my papers with Goldrush ink on the edges for more definition, and grabbed my "so sweet" sentiment from the fabulous Sweetheart Workshop kit exclusive stamp set. I pulled the flower's leaves from there as well - they are the wings from the big butterfly!

Finally, to match the stitched detail on the leaves/butterfly wings, I actually stitched all around the card front. I know - you can pick up your jaw now. I am a super big advocate of stamping a stitched line around the card with Simple Stitches, but I felt like I needed some extra pop for this card swap, so for 4 cards worth I did it. But I totally cheated too! I cut a tiny 1/4 inch strip from the tiny floral print in the Sophia packet and used the flower centers as a guide to where to poke my stitch holes evenly. Then I took a strand of waxy flax - one of my favorite products ever. It's a waxed floss, so you don't even need a needle. I separated the 4 stands of the waxy flax so I had a super delicate stitch line and ran it in and out of the holes - the wax makes the floss hold it's shape while you work with it. No needle, no delicate floss breaking from my awesome stitching technique, super fast - waxy flax is genius!

Monday, January 10, 2011

Mojo Monday 173

Welcome back, stampers! It's Monday, so Mojo sketch time!

I've been a little bit obsessed with the January SOTM this month. It's been a while since a SOTM was this inspiring for me! Today I used a bit of the SOTM (the SOAR sentiment - love that font!) and a bit of the Club workshop stamp set (the INSPIRE sentiment)...then set my stamps aside and played with that new pleated ribbon. Every time I use it I love it more. This time I made a flower with it - sweet!

I grabbed a small scrap of paper just sitting on my table and laid down a base of Monoadhesive to hold my flower in place while I was working. I made a double layer of flower "petals" by wrapping the ribbon around in a circle shape on my adhesive coated paper scrap. Once it was in place to my satisfaction, I secured it under the ribbon with Liquid Glass. Then I filled the center with lots of Grey Opaque stick on Pearls. I trimmed a couple of leaves out of the Wings B&T I was using for the rest of the card, folded them in half for texture, and swiped them with Black to make them pop a bit more.

I used My StickEase photo corners under the main B&T layer on my card for more dimension. I also used a My StickEase border in the center of the card instead of the suggested ribbon. Well, maybe border is a bit of a stretch. I love to use my trimmer to cut out the little 1/8 inch border strips between the actual StickEase borders so I can use them. I ran it down the center of the card three times, then embellished the center strip with the teeny bitty grey Opaques pearls.

Finally, I fussy cut a trio of fluttering butterflies from the Wings B&T to float up the side of the card in place of the suggested buttons. They are popped out on the wings, and detailed with Liquid Glass. Here's the sketch - now go out and stamp!

Sunday, January 9, 2011

Wings Club pages

Hi! I haven't gotten pics onto these yet, but I wanted to be sure to post the Wings pages, cards, and the adorable wall banner where club members can find them to plan out your pics for our club in February! The banner is for the I Want It All kit - otherwise, you'll be making 6 cards per CTMHs design instead. I just love this paper - can't wait to get my pics on there!

For details on Monthly Memories club and this kit, check out my website here!


Monday, January 3, 2011

Mojo Monday 172 - Contest!

Time to start keeping my New Year's resolution - a year of Mojo Monday challenges to complete! I set Ben down with some leftover birthday wrapping paper from Max's party on Friday and a pair of safety scissors (his "project") so I could whip out my project for Mojo Monday today. An hour later we are both happy campers - me with a completed card, and him with a huge pile of wrapping paper "snowflakes"!

Today I used the green patterns from my new Wing's kit - I know, everything lately has been Wings, but I couldn't order stuff from the new catalog until January, so this is my new catty fix! I love how this combo of B&T's looks totally different from the ones with the Vineyard Berry in them.

I turned again to my January Stamp of the Month - and finally took my death grip off that beautiful butterfly stamp. The bird is also just adorable - I am loving this set! I stamped her in Juniper Ink onto Sweet Leaf Cardstock, rolled in a hint of black on the edges. Then I cut off her back wing (sorry, birdie!), inked the edges some more direct to paper and re-layered her back together. I trimmed the swirl and leaf embellishments out of the B&T paper I used for the main background - lovely, lovely print!

I embellished my adorable little bird with a lot of teeny drops of Liquid Glass - rhinestones would've covered up the pretty stamped image, but I felt she needed some subtle bling on her edges.  You can really see the Liquid Glass dimension in this angled shot.

Finally, I had a go at making one of those pretty pleated paper medallions that are everywhere right now. It was way easier than it looks! I used B&T Paper 3/4" x 6". I folded it in half, and each half in half, and so on until it was accordion pleated to my liking. I did not do the pre-scoring a lot of the instructions ask for, but I did crease the folds really well. I made three of these, and glued them together end to end to get a long enough strip, then glued the end together to close the circle. I whacked a (mostly) circle from a scrap of cardstock and covered it with Monoadhesive for the base, just to make putting the medallion together easier - like a 3rd hand! I squished my pleated strip down so that the pleats were flat against the CS base - the center is glued on really close together and the outer edges fan out to make the medallion. Then I put some Liquid Glass in the center to hold it together and weighted it down with a couple stamp pads for a few minutes. Voila!

Linking up: Tresa Black is hosting an Inspirations Blog hop - for all the awesome products from the new Inspirations brochure! I just love Tresa's work, so I know you'll enjoy this extra bit of blog hopping as much as I did. If you haven't been out to her blog before, get ready to bookmark a new favorite. Enjoy!

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