Thursday, February 28, 2013

March SOTM Blog Hop


Welcome to our Stamp of the Month Blog Hop!  We will be featuring March's SOTM called Floral Happiness, a lovely set of 16 elegant stamps.  If you have come here from LALIA'S BLOG, you are on the right path!

We have 50+ Close To My Heart Consultants sharing their creations using this month's SOTM (and other great CTMH products) on their blogs. This 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!

This month I used the SOTM to embellish a Butterfly album as the third project for Volume 5 of my Consultant Kits. I was inspired by a lovely brown based butterfly Album project on Pinterest with a big tulle bow that I knew would be gorgeous in my fav new paper pack! I built the whole thing out of White Daisy CS using Art Philosophy/Artiste cuts and embellished it with handmade paper flowers and Glitter Paper accents.
I used the sentiments from the March SOTM for my title and to add little tags to each double page layout in the Album. I found that the Banner diecut on Page 68 of the Artiste Cartridge book was a great fit for these Sentiments. The cut is on the You're Invited key, and I cut it at 3/4 Inch for the cover sentiment shown above and at 1/2" for the smaller completing sentiments.
The album, even though it's built out of plain old cardstock, is sturdy enough to stand up on it's own as a table display! I'm linking this to the Heart 2 Heart Home Decor challenge, because I LOVE scrappy home decor, and the Paper Issues Spring Into the Studio Linky Party just because they are awesome!

Now "Hop" on over to TAMRA'S BLOG to see her fabulous craftwork! Be sure to visit all the Consultants Blogs to soak in the great crafting and SOTM ideas! Remember, this SOTM will fly away at the end of March!  Contact your CTMH Consultant (or click here) to see how you can get this stamp set for just $5. And CLICK HERE for more info on ordering a Stamping Rules Consultant Kit!

Here are some more projects I have made using this Stamp of the Month...
Monochromatic CAS Card
Kissed CAS Card

Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Steampunk Memory Box

OK, Stamping Rules Consultant kit fans, I'm finally ready to release Volume 5! Here is the second of three projects, the first being that Hexagon and Back Again Canvas/card set. Tomorrow evening I'll feature the third project, but all three are FINALLY ready to order on my Consultant Kits page today! I really appreciate all the emails and friendly encouragement to finish-quickly-hurry-last-week. You really put a smile on my face!

This project is based on our awesome little card box and inspired by all the fun steampunk projects I've been browsing on Pinterest. Call it...steampunk lite, I suppose. We'll be heat embossing on our fab new glitter papers, distressing with sponge daubers on resistable tags, and adding sturdy little feet to the box to turn it into a fun Home Decor item.
Inside the box are decorated tags for holding memory journaling or small photos. Plus since it's a box there's tons of space for that special masculine hoarder to keep his collection of randomness. A rock from here, a key from there, who knows why they collect this stuff, but a treasure box for his treasure seems fitting, don'tcha think?

I'm linking this project to the Heart 2 Heart Tag You're It Challenge. I'm also linking to Bernadine's Tea Time Open House. See ya back here tomorrow night for the last project reveal!

Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Being With You

this si the card my team made at out meeting last night. Another CAS design, but I think that the upcoming Happiness Is Butterfly Album which I'll post Thursday night for Blog Hop might have sucked all the non-CAS creativity out of my whole body! I love the look of the March SOTM 2 step stamps in Grey and Black - very simple but elegant!
For this card I inked the base image for each flower in Whisper ink using a side to side swiping motion to give the solid stamp some texture. Can you see how it looks almost sanded? Then I added the detail image in Black ink on top, and a few leaves stamped in Whisper ink. The script paper is from For Always, and the bold diagonal stripe is another image from In The Background, which is quickly becoming an indispensable basic tool for me!

I'm linking this card up to this week's MUSE challenge. As I was frantically prepping for my team to come over and play yesterday I got the email from MUSE and fell in love with her clusters of flowers around the edge of the sentiment. I realized that while I love to make 3-D flower clusters, I have to admit that stamping these clusters was a LOT faster and easier!  

I'm also linking up to the Heart 2 Heart Love is in the Air Challenge and the CAS-ual Fridays Hi Ho Silver Challenge. Did you catch that awesome silver Glitter button? A touch of sparkle is what makes my heart flutter!

Until tomorrow friends...yep - I've got new art lined up for you every day this week!

Monday, February 25, 2013

Happiness is...

Hello, Stampin' Friends! I'm back with a quick CAS card I whipped up for my Team swap at our monthly meeting tonight. I love team meeting night - my girls come over and we'll make a card (I'll post that one tomorrow!), swap sample cards, and chat about all things CTMH, stamping, and scrapbooking! I've been busting out behind the scenes artwork for volume 5 (and posting sneak peeks to my Instagram/FB page), and I'm really almost ready to release it. I have to do another double check on the For Always album - it's a LOT of flowers to count, lol. I hope y'all think it was worth the wait!

Now this card is CAS, but that doesn't mean there's no dimension to it! I used the March SOTM, which includes different sizes of fabulous 2 step floral rose images. You stamp the bottom layer in a lighter color, then line up the top stamp (Thank you, clear Acrylix!) to add the details in a darker color. Here I did a kissing technique for the first part of the two step stamping. I inked a large polka dot background image (retired) in Honey ink and set it ink side up on my table top. Then I inked the bottom solid image in Creme Brule and stamped it off before laying the inked solid image onto the inked polka dot stamp picking up a bit of texture in the solid stamp. Then you stamp the "kissed" image onto your project. To finish the 2 step process I then inked the detail stamp in Creme Brule and layered it over the lighter dotted base stamp. Finally I used a clear glitter gel pen to outline the detail stamp for a tiny bit of shimmer.

I used a sketch from Retro Sketches to build this card. The challenge this week is to choose your favorite sketch from their archive of awesome card sketches, so I chose #47, which I missed the first go around when it was the sketch of the week but really loved.

I was also inspired by the color challenge at Play Date Cafe this week. I chose Creme Brule, Slate, and Outdoor Denim to match their challenge colors. I stamped the sentiment in the Outdoor Denim and then stamped over it with my favorite stamp from In The Background in second generation ink so that the sentiment would still shine through.

Finally, I'm linking this up to the Heart 2 Heart Clean and Simple Challenge.

You still have a couple of days to vote in the Practical Scrappers Top Ten Card contest. If you've voted in the past, each round requires a new set of votes, so I'd really appreciate it if you can find it in your heart to vote (for me or the other cards) one last time!

Friday, February 22, 2013

I made the Top Ten - please vote!

I can't tell all my Stampin' Friends how much I appreciate your support each week as I work my way through the Practical Scrappers Card Contest. With your help, this week I made the Top Ten!

It's the last week for Public Voting, so if you have a sec, please pop out to THIS POST TO VOTE for your two favorites. The theme is black and white with a pop of color, and the top ten cards are fab! Crossing my fingers...and feeling very grateful to all of you!

Thursday, February 21, 2013

10 Tiny Things Beach Retreat Edition

So my FB buddies and Instagram followers all know that I was away on a four day beach retreat last weekend. Nothing better than a long weekend away with some of your favorite scrappy peeps to refresh and recharge the creativity, right? Until it's time to actually go and pack and remember everything you need to cook for a dozen or so people for four days and scrap projects and don't forget to finish order deliveries before you go and now you are two hours behind...and then you get the call that the beach house was double booked. ACK!! Where is the coffee when you need it?!

That's right folks, the beach house double booked the weekend so half my group was already at the coast, half of us were still getting going and no one had a bed to sleep in...and my car had $400 worth of yummy, mostly whole food, organic eats packed in to the brim. Can you say panic attack?

 So I headed to the coast anyways, and the amazing Cathy L. pulled off a scrapbooking miracle, procuring us a fabulous room rate at the Comfort Inn Suites in Astoria, where they not only had comfy cozy rooms with microwaves and fridges, but hooked us up with a nice conference room with lots of tables to scrap in and paid no mind to the crazy woman in Room 320 who turned the sitting area of her room into a pantry while running two crockpots pretty much nonstop all weekend. We might have consolidated a few of the microwaves into one room when setting up the baked potato bar...moved most of the furniture in the lobby to accommodate our group picture...used a hotel rolling cart in an unapproved fashion...and my roommate might have had to deal with the smell of pork products constantly cooking in our room. By the way, you can cook sausage in the crockpot, and while it could be crispier, it sure was tasty!

Anyhow, here comes my Monday Listicle, just a wee bit late this week as I get back to basics while my household recovers from the lack of Mommy for four whole days. Stasha over at Northwest Mommy has asked us to write about 10 Tiny or Secret Things that bring us joy...

10 Tiny (or Secret) Things that Brought me Joy on My Beach Retreat

1. Roses. Kasiakin got roses for Valentine's Day and they brightened the whole crop room. It's almost as good as getting flowers yourself!

2. Bacon. Nom nom nom nom.   Nom.
Hotel cooking? No problem! Just BYOCPs...bring your own crock pots!
3. Fuzzy socks. I'm not a sock wearer, but I bought fuzzy slipper socks for the retreat and wandered all about in stocking feet. Cozy!

4. Amazing GF cheesecake made by my friend Angie who owns AJs Decadent Cheesecakes - first cheesecake I've had in years. Oh my word!

5. Rolled flowers and paper pieced birds. I love tiny fussy details on my projects. These are coming to you soon, Tamra Pope!

6. Starbucks Peppermint Hot Chocolate. I had one each day. I'm currently back on sugar detox, but it was totally worth it.

7. New ZING embossing powder. 4 bucks worth of crafty heaven.

8. Microbeads. Tiny, silver, sparkly, and fun to pour back and forth. See them in the flower centers? LOVE!

9. My perfectly adorable new tiny pink scooping spoon from my friend Linnea. Works great with #7 and #8!

10. This picture of my friend Angela. She broke her leg so I drove her to the coast and we sent her scooter in another car...but scrappers don't give up when our retreat house double booked and scrappers won't leave a friend to sit in the tiny cramped car! This will be my favorite pic for a while. I think Imma gonna make it my phone background. Or maybe not...don't want to give my dear boys any ideas...still giggling...Make it work!

Not the listicle I intended to write, but a good snapshot of the fabulous craft weekend I just spent with some of the most hilarious and amazing women I know. Next time you should come too!

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Sincere Thanks

Here's my entry for the next round of the Practical Scrapper Card Contest. Right now you can vote for my card in the Top 10, and there are some really fab cards there looking for your vote! Each week while you are voting, we get another assignment for the next round of cards. This one was super fun, and I bopped out to the local scrap store by our beach retreat to find a few fun goodies to add to the party.

I knew the new For Always papers would be perfect - such fabulous Black and White elegance! I added a touch of Red with Glitter Glitz on the and stitching with some fun metallic floss. I picked up some fun Super fine glitter paper at the scrap store and used it to cut the swirls, flowers, and part of the layered frame using my Art Philosophy Cartridge. A fluffy Seam Binding bow with touches of Black Tulle is topped off with a Grey Sparkle gem. My sentiment came from the Card Chatter - Sympathy set, which has some really sweet sayings.


If you have a second, PLEASE go out and vote for me or ANY of the fabulous cards in the Top 10. You get two votes and there's some fun eye candy out there!

Thursday, February 14, 2013

New Product Blog Hop


Welcome to our CTMH New Product Blog Hop!  We will be featuring lots of new goodies from the just released Spring/Summer Idea Book, which is in a word FABULOUS!  If you have come here from DAWN'S BLOG, you are on the right path!

This month we have 30+ talented Close To My Heart Consultants sharing their creations using all the brand new 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!

This month I'm sharing a sneak peek of one of the Volume 5 Stamping Rules workshops I'll be releasing at the end of this month. The very second I saw the new C1537 Honeycomb Stamp set I knew that it had to be mine! This is the first of three new consultant kit workshops to be released on my blog by the end of February. I love my canvas so much I've ordered two more to expand it into a trio for my guest room area!

I whipped up a variety of hexagon based cards using the new Color Ready Trinkets Wood Shapes accents. They are so adorably tiny! They take up ink, Pearl Paint, tinted pearl paint and glitter glitz, or you can use them in their natural woodgrain flavor. You can stamp on them too! I also used the new Black Button Assortment, which includes a bunch of buttons that are glittered. Hooray for sparkle!
I also crafted one of the new 6x6 Displays to match. The canvas took the ink and paint so well! I used Liquid Glass to adhere all my paper items to the tray, though a nice glue like Beacon's 3 in one would also work great. You can display these beautiful canvas displays propped up on a desk, on one of those little wooden easels painted to match, or on the wall using the attached sawtooth hanger. Do you see all my bits of Slate Washi Tape peeking out on the canvas and the cards? Getting my inky paws onto that Washi was high on my to do list when I first saw the new catalog!

I'm linking this canvas project to the Heart 2 Heart Home Decor Challenge!

Now "Hop" on over to LAURIE'S BLOG to see what she's been crafting over at the beach! Be sure to visit all the Consultants Blogs to soak in the amazing new Idea Book projects!  Contact your CTMH Consultant (or click here) to see how you can get your copy of this beautiful new Idea Book!

Here are some more projects I have made using NEW goodies...
February SOTM card with Washi Tape
Hexagon Card with In the Background
February SOTM with In the Background
In Gear plus In the Background Card
One More In The Background (can you tell I love this set?) Card
Ok, I lied...One more In The Background Card
Avonlea Hexagon Card

Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Quilted Inspiration


I just sent off this card as my next entry for the Practical Scrappers Card Contest....waiting with fingers crossed to see if I made the top 15. If you voted (for me or one of the other fabulous gals) "Thanks a bunch!" This week they asked us to make a card based on an inspiration photo that was a lovely quilt in shades of blue and green.
I chose the Pinwheels from the May SOTM as they echoed the quilt pattern in shape and in texture. I added lots of bold patterns to my card design to go along with the bold stripes and dots in the inspiration photo. I also hand stitched the edges of multiple layers to bring in a quilted feel. 

I inked the sentiment in Lagoon and Sweet Leaf inks to mimic a globe type feeling for the popped up portion of the sentiment. That paper is from an older retired pack called Fanfare. I'm linking up to the 52 Card Pickup on the Old Back Porch and Make It Monday on an Original Belle. Go check out the cuteness - you'll be glad you did!

If I make it through to the top 15, you'll be able to vote for this card or 14 other awesome cards. Thanks for all your support, Stampin' Friends - whether I make it through or not, it's been really heart warming to read your words of encouragement. Hugs to you!

P.S. - Don't forget to enter my giveaway for this week!

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Tuesday Tips

Check out my first layered Jamberry application! That fab Black Polka Dot on Clear went on OVER some Raspberry Sparkle to make a new combo nail. How fun is that? I just applied the Raspberry Sparkle first (heat, trim, file), then came back and applied the clear polka dot wrap right on top. It was easy peasy!
This is a messy Instagram pic, but I've been stamping up a storm in the Stamp Pad all weekend, and my fingertips are literally stained a pale Slate color that no amount of handwashing will remove right now. That Slate tint is accented by Lagoon and Cranberry splotches (a little sneak peek into my post for Blog Hop later this week!), so my hands are basically a wreck right now. But flip over and my Jams still look great, even after all the paint, ink, and handwashing! I thought maybe the double thickness on the layered Jams would peel up, but so far it's holding string a week later!

Can you tell I'm stoked about being able to alter my Jams...craftiness is an addiction, I tell ya! To celebrate this new Jamberry crafty manicure I'm giving away a 1/2 sheet of the Black Polka Dot on Clear Jams to two different lucky ducks this week on Friday! That's enough for a full Mani and Pedi!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
You can earn extra entries by sharing my giveaway and tweeting each day, too. Good luck to you, and check back for more art and a New Product Blog Hop coming later this week!

Monday, February 11, 2013

Oh No You Didn't!

Before I hop into the Listicle this week, here's a little peek of the Valentines (Pinterest inspired, of course) that I had the whole family whip up this weekend. I'm linking this up to Paper Issues It's In The Bag Challenge, since we loaded these cute fish into a crinkly cello bag! I Cricut the circles and made the original sample. Hubby stamped the fronts, trimmed the sentiments, and helped me load and twist tie the bags. 

Gabe stamped the backs - and he even used second generation to add  swirls to the background behind the writing! MAx helped eat the extra gluten free swedish fish. Then both Gabe and Ben got to fill in their classmate's names and sign their fishbowls. All while I stamped away on the fabulous project I can't wait to share with you...later this week for New Product Blog Hop. I love that the boys are old enough to start taking on part of the crafting work fun!

Stasha's topic this week for the Monday Listicle is bound to be a touchy subject for my dear hubby. I am fairly easy to please in the present department, if you ask me. I don't expect fancy jewelry, expensive electronics, hard to find items. Time was when a nice peppermint mocha and a chance to sleep in would be the most appreciated gift! But of late, my hubby has been trying really hard to knock my gift receiving socks off...and missing the target despite his best intentions. In case he's reading this...just go to Jacobsen's Books and ask Tina. You're shopping local, supporting a friend's awesome business, and you can never go wrong with a book! 

Top 10 Oh No You Didn't Gifts
1. Straws. One birthday my hubby and the boys went to the dollar store. I got straws that year.

2. Beach Vacation. Seems like a winner, right? A fabulous weekend at the beach, just the two of us...with nary a safe gluten free dining option in miles. We ended up eating cold salami from the grocery store on the beach and he was feeling sick all night from eating something glutened when I told him nothing was safe. It's the thought that counts....but googling gluten free Oregon Coast would've been a good first step...

3. Sparkle Uggs. Now, I kind of set him up on this one - I did tell the boys Mommy wants Sparkle Uggs, giggle, snort, tell Daddy. But I was joking - have you seen how expensive those suckers are? Really, I am very practical, and so is he, or so I thought. So hubby dutifully goes off and without regard to budget or common sense purchases some sparkly, sequin loaded Uggs for Christmas...that are white. They are like bridal boots or something. We live in Oregon. Where it rains incessantly. So the second I step out of the house in the pristine sparkly white costs-as-much-as-our-car-payment boots they will be irrevocably ruined. Thank goodness for Zappos and free returns. It's the thought that counts (again)!

4. Two holidays in a row he had the boys make copy paper signs with crayons early in the morning, photog'd them, and made me a screen saver. The first time I was touched and very pleased. The very next holiday...repeat...not so touching. He's been warned that ship has sailed. 3 sheets of copy paper, however lovingly crayoned, loudly, outside my bedroom with lots of "Shhhh! Mommy's still sleeping!" do not count as a present for every holiday ever. The thought doesn't count three times.

5. Once in college he bought me a sweet little pearl necklace...on a gold chain. I am not a fan of pearls or gold jewelry. I'm more of a silver and rhinestone, or hippie beaded girl. I wore that necklace for years, just for him. Then it got, ahem, lost. I don't think he noticed.

Now in all fairness, I think  I'm gonna flip this Listicle and list the last five as Oh No You Didn't Awesome Gifts from my Hubby, since he is actually a sweetheart who really does try hard. It's my Listicle and I'll be nice if I want to!

6. Sometimes he brings me flowers from Trader Joe's for no reason at all. You know, the $4 bouquets of cheapo flowers, and that totally fits my practical nature and budget. Plus it feels nice to know he thought of me.

7. On our first anniversary he took me out to a "fancy" dinner at Mallards in Stockton. Hey, we were in college - that's as fancy as we could afford or fathom. Anyhow, when we got to the restaurant the table was all decked out in roses and it was just so out of character for him. He's an engineer. Logic and sci-fi rules the roost round here - roses (and the effort to get everything set up ahead of time in secret) do not compute.

8. For our second baby he got me the newest Stephen King novel to read at the hospital. Some friends may be horrified that my push present was a horror novel. To me it proves that he knows me well - nothing better for me than a new book to read, even if I'll be reading it while exhausted and nursing a newborn baby.

9. Last Fall I was at a n all day crop on our 20th Anniversary...yes, he let me go out to scrapbook on our Anniversary, watched all three boys, and tried not to ask me any questions all day. That's love, man.

10. To top off the scrapbooking retreat amazing gift...he had roses delivered to the crop! When they brought in the flowers and started to announce how someone's super fab hubby had sent roses to a lucky gal I was all, "Awww! How sweet is that!" and never stopped cropping to pay attention that closely...it couldn't be me...and then it was! I was so surprised! I am not kidding, I really couldn't believe he had done such a sweet and extravagant thing. It did not fit my budget plans, but it certainly was not returned. And after the flowers arrived I didn't have any trouble finding my table any more, lol. I scrapped the pages for the sweet card and flower pics right there on the spot.

That's it for me today - except for this quick reminder to go out and vote for your favorite card in the Practical Scrappers Top 20 contest. The link takes you to my card and a link where you can vote - for me or for any of the other fab entries too!

Friday, February 8, 2013

I'm in the top 20 - please vote!


Hi, ladies! My polka dotty birthday card is in the Top 20 over at Practical Scrappers, and now the voting is open. Please go check out all the fun cards - all polka dots and birthday, but a LOT of variety! Vote for me or vote for any of the other amazing cards...but please vote!

A big congrats to Michele J. who won the Friday Favorite Things giveaway this week! She'll be choosing her favorite new paper pack from the new Spring catalog. My favorite is For Always, the elegant new Black and White pack with bold pops of color! I can't wait to get started on next month's pages using this stunning collection of papers!

Gotta dash - getting dinner ready for my club gals who'll start arriving soon. I love club night!

Thursday, February 7, 2013

Flirty Pages

I am so excited for my Stampin' Ladies to come over Friday night and crop these fabulous Flirty papers with me! I combined the Flirty Workshop On The Go with the Pixie Glitter Alphabet and Sparkle Flourishes for these floral packed pages. 

These first two pages are based on the CTMH instruction brochure included in the WOTG package, with a few twists, like adding Cricut cut flowers to the Dimensional Elements Tree included in the kit! I love forming these tiny flowers using my piercing tool kit. I flip the mat over and used the back, rounded end of the tool to form the simple flat flowers into rounded buttercup shapes!
The second set of pages was inspired by these pages by the fabulous Dana Kessler. I love how she stacked the dandelion image in the corners. I added a bit of glitter glitz to each flower, smudging the dots with my finger for a softer effect. 
The Pixie Glitter Alpha letters were super easy to position using my tweezers. I also extended my bitty sparkle stash by using leftover sections of the Flourishes. I popped off the excess sparkles from the flourish and applied them here with my Tweezers and Liquid Glass.
Page 5/6 is my favorite set I think. Each little banner is formed by rolling them on the handle of my piercing tool. I still cut apart the flourishes, though I did keep them relatively intact. I even built myself an extra "o" from a "q" and some exclamation points from the "j"s! 
I've been wanting to incorporate the formed flowers into a layout for a while, and this layout seems like the right spot. The Flirty Raspberry flowers pop against that background of Dakota Wood Grain

I'm sharing these pages on Make It Monday at An Original Belle - got check out the awesome collection of art and recipes!

Last chance to enter my NEW PAPER giveaway - winner to be announce on Friday! 
Thanks for popping by!

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