Annual Inspirations New Product Blog Hop

Welcome to the Annual Inspirations Blog Hop! This hope we have 26 fabulous creations using the new goodies from the new Annual Inspirations Idea Book. You may be arriving here from ALYSON'S BLOG, and you'll find a link to all the blogs on the hop HERE.

I chose to play with the new Whimsy Fundamentals Line. The line features a paper packet in pretty pastels which I paired with the Inspire Complements. I also added some of the new Color of the Year cardstock, called Bashful. I'm linking this project up to the Paper Issues Take 5 Tuesday Challenge (Cardstock, Patterned Paper, More than 1 photo, Sticker, Diecut). 

I love the white glitter chipboard accents from the Inspire Complements pack. I combined the SPARKLE piece and a heart image with my title cut using the new font in the You Are Here Cricut cartridge. You also can spy a few of the hearts from the new Thin Cuts - Heart Border Die, which is literally probably my most favorite new thing. Here I trimmed out individual outline hearts from the border to add a delicate touch to my clusters. Both shades of pink cardstock you can see here are from the same sheet of Bashful cardstock - totally loving the new doublesided cardstock! One side is the full shade, and the backside is a lighter tone of the shade. Our color choices just doubled (yay!) but we still have the same lovely white core perfect for distressing and paper tearing.

I am still adoring my watercolor paints, too, and I'm still using the same pan from last year. Hooray for long lasting supplies! I laid down a patch of water before dropping in the colors and let them move naturally. I came back after it was dry to add a few speckles too. That Sunshine elements came from the Inspire Complements, and I just trimmed off the yellow sun part to tuck the edge under my photo mat. Then I popped the center part of that sticker up with foam tape above my photo mat and now it will be so easy to slide in my photo!  

Next up on the hop is GINA'S BLOG. Check out all the new Annual Inspirations goodies online here, or ask your consultant how to get a copy of your very own. Happy hopping!

Gratitude Doily Card

So out of the entire Stamp of the Month set this month, I think this Gratitude sentiment image is my absolute favorite. 

I combined some of the new Enchantment Fundamentals with some Sangria retired paper. I love how the patterns in the new fundamentals can support and extend whats already in my paper stash! I was working off the sweet new RetroSketches sketch.

I topped off the design with slate sequins topped with some rounded clear gems. I love the look of white doilies against bold colors! 

Crafty Card Buffet kicks on on Sunday!

Scrap Much? Let It Snow Simple Stories Layout

Happy Friday, Stampin' Friends! Today is the release of another fabulous sketch over at Scrap Much?!

I have been hoarding this Simple Stories Snow Patrol line until I could get these particular pictures of my boys printed. I tried and tried to take good sledding pics of them, but everything was blurry or (of course) they weren't looking at me. Then I got clever, and had them each pose by flinging themselves onto the huge snowdrift next to the front porch where we piled all the snow as we shoveled the driveway. Ready? Action! Eye contact!!

Seriously, how can you not love this adorable snowman motif? Next time we build a snowman, he's going to be saying "YAY!" like this guy. I added a bit of Doodlebug doily and a Glacier Fundamentals wooden sign. I finished off the cluster with a combo of glitter dots ('cause I love glitter) and pewter stick on studs ('cause occasionally I gotta admit I'm scrapping boys). I stitched down my layout with four strands of metallic red embroidery thread mixed with a single strand of my favorite silver sewing thread for some extra sparkle. Make sure you poke the stitch holes really well with a foam mat if you try that - I super love how the thick stitch looks, but it's murder on the fingertips of you haven't pierced the holes big enough. I wanted to continue it around the layout edge like the sketch shows, but I couldn't bring myself to stitch over that lovely snowflake border...for now...

I trimmed another size of the adorable snowman out of one of the pocket scrapbooking cards included in my Snow Patrol pack. I wish he were a stamp! I actually had trimmed up another card to add a title when I realized I'd overlooked this beautiful scripty sticker title on the coordinating sticker sheet. 

 Don't you just love this sketch? If it inspires you too, make a page and hop over to Scrap Much? to link up your creation! 

Day 352: AHSC So Very Special Valentine Card

There's an adorable new sketch up over at Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge!

I still had all my La Vie En Rose Complements packets out from my project last night, so I decided to do another card with only white cardstock. I layered on arrow stickers for the bottom of the card sketch. Then I layered on polka dot washi tape for the smaller panel.  

I used three of the heart bull's-eye and a sentiment banner from the La Vie stickers. Then I topped the center target with my favorite little guy from Animal Greetings. He's holding a Fundamentals glitter heart. I hope you'll pop over to AHSC to play along this week!

Day 308: January SOTM Sneak Peek Thinking of You Card

Today I finally got a chance to ink up my January Stamp of the Month for the first time. 

This is a 2 step stamp set, with a solid base image and coordinating detailed outline image. I inked the base in Cranberry ink, then stamped it off onto scratch paper before stamping it onto the white cardstock. Then I stamped the detail image on top using full strength Cranberry ink. I used a post-it to mask off the blooms to layer the two smaller blooms together, and to add some of the floral sprays in a Kraft colored ink in the background. My color combo inspiration came from the ColourQ challenge. I added a hand drawn line around the card front, and a ruled line around the base.

I went back in on the blooms with my shimmer gel pen to add some sparkle to the blooms. I also dabbed some gold glitter gel in amongst the kraft floral sprays. I added a few Fundamentals sparkly heart stickers to accent the sentiment. This pretty stamp set is not available until January 1, but I hope you'll forgive me a little sneak peek. 

Day 306: Celebrate Love Card

Tonight I filled my little mason jar with love!

The sketch is from the current Freshly Made Sketches. I was inspired by the teacher mason jar gifts we gave this December. I adhered a Through the Year PML card to my card base. I outlines it with a shimmer gel pen and then dotted all around it with a fine tipped journaling marker.

I added some strips of Simple Stories I Am paper and a water colored mason jar.  A few glitter hearts floating our of the jar finished off this quick and simple design. I'm linking this card up to the Seize the Birthday challenge.

Day 273: Oh Snap Fast Forward Album Retreat Layout

I love all the shiny gold touches on this layout.

This was presented to be a layout about where I see myself in the future, but instead I used it to ponder on the funny way time passes so slow and yet so very fast when raising children. That picture of John with all the littles at once is one of my absolute favorites.

This is the layout where I used up all my gold letters (that were supposed to be for some of the other layouts). I just love the fabulous mix of textures in the Fundamentals assortments. How cute is this foil embossed wood arrow?

This OH SNAP piece we trimmed out of a PML card. It's printed in gold foil - swoon! The flowers we stamped using So Many Smiles, which is just what making this layout brought to me.

Day 265: Sharing the Story Album Retreat Layout

This was one of the simpler layouts we put together, but it had two really cool techniques.

First the title. We painted blue ombre watercolors onto a panel of watercolor paper, which then went behind the Cricut title cut into the base page. My friend Linnea used score tape to really stick down her title, and I think it looked a lot neater than my finished title. It was fun to freehand that ombre color panel though!

Secondly, we used these hexagon stamps in a fun way. Instead of stamping and fussy cutting six hexagons, we just snipped three of them, not really in half, more like 2/3 - 1/3 but the bottom line is we used the same three hexagons as embellishments on both pages, which I thought was really smart.

Also, here's my tip for cutting shimmer trim in half the long way with no fuss and bother. First snip your trim to any length up to twelve inches. Then use washi tape to hold the shimmer trim in place on your paper trimmer, centered with 1/4" on each side of the trimmer track. Trim down through the center, cutting right through the washi tape for perfect 1/4" strips of shimmer trim!

Day 264: Right Here Right Now Album Retreat Layout

For this page I didn't really follow the theme at all. I loved how CTMH gave us an idea of the colors and general direction of each page when they allowed us to print our photos in Studio J to be picked up and used at the retreat.

I knew that I did not want to do a day in the life kind of page, so instead I decided to include some of my favorite people and things in my life right now at this moment. The papers are a mix of Charlotte and La Vie En Rose. 

How cute are all those watercolor touches? I added a hand lettered quote to the right page over top of the watercolor pop of color. It was hard to grab a clear shot since I may have added a lot little shimmer pen over the lettering too. Next time I wash the shimmer over the watercolor, then letter when everything is dry. Learn something new everyday!

Day 258: Simply Fundamental Blog Hop

Welcome to the Simply Fundamentals Blog Hop! We have almost 30 consultants sharing fabulous creations using the fun new Fundamentals line. You may be arriving here from JEN'S BLOG. Let's hop!

Today I whipped up a cute little watercolor card using the new sketch from Retrosketches. I used a circle of cardstock to mask a panel of White cardstock, then I applied watercolor around the mask. I stitched around the circle and the edge of the panel with Navy thread. Then I added some Fundamentals stickers and peacock glitter stars. The moose and sentiment are from Animal Greetings, the Operation Smile stamp set.

 I mounted this onto a panel of Peacock Fundamentals paper that I treated with Wink of Stella in black. I used the side with the glossy pattern, applying and then wiping off the Stella so the pattern remained Peacock colored but the spaces turned black and shimmery. The glossy side is my favorite for fun techniques!

To experience the FUN in the Fundamentals, be sure to check out the Simple Fundamental Scrapbooking special this month. Next up on the hop is TRACI'S BLOG. Happy hopping!

Here's a few of my other Fundamentals Projects:

Atlantic Hearts Butterfly Card

Celebrate the Journey Layout

Whale Hello There Card

Day 255: Celebrate the Journey Layout

So I recently I was approached by an online eye wear company called Firmoo. The kind folks there offered me a free pair of glasses to try out their online optometry service. I've never ordered any eye wear online before, but I figured I'd give it a try. I've had my new glasses for about a week now, and I love them so much I decided that they needed their own scrapbook page. 

I decided to go with the new Paper Issues Sketchy Saturday sketch, I stamped the base layout with an image from the October Stamp of the Month. I divided up some Enchantment Fundamentals papers to fill in the sunburst element. These papers have a pattern printed in white on one side, and glossy on the other. I used both effects in this layout. Also, so much stitching. While I was stitching it at Starbucks I started to wonder if I was nuts, but I'm so pleased with the finished effect. 

I added the titles using a large piece of Heidi Swapp wood veneer and the matching Fundamentals sticker pack. I painted the veneer with Gold Wink of Stella. I added a Cricut butterfly detailed with Black Wink of Stella and a bunch of Pomegranate Fundamentals embellishments. The glitter heart stickers are my fav!

 I want to share a bit more about my Firmoo experience. I loved the TRY ON feature. I uploaded a snapshot of myself, and spent quite a bit of time "trying on" tons of glasses styles, not because it was a pain, but because it was fun, like a little online makeover. I always feel pressured to hurry up and pick something at the doctor's office, so my glasses often end up looking very similar each year. No one at home cares if I have 6 different windows open to flip through my favorite styles and compare them side by side. I was a little worried about ordering glasses online, but the process was easy and my glasses arrived within days. 

After my order was placed I had time to fret. Would the glasses feel cheap, since the prices quoted seemed so inexpensive? What if the prescription wasn't right, or I hadn't measured my size correctly? My fears were for naught. I am happy to tell you that I love my new frames. They are finished nicely, and the ear pieces are smooth and comfortable. My vision with the lenses (with both anti-reflection and anti-UV coatings) is crisp and clear, and my prescription is correct. Plus the front is a bold black frame and the sides are totally and adorable ombre pink!

The folks at Firmoo were kind enough to provide me with a 15% off coupon link for anyone who wants to try out ordering glasses online. I don't get anything if you order, it's just a little bonus for you.  While Firmoo did provide this pair of glasses to me for free, my opinions are my own. I would happily order extra glasses from Firmoo again.

Day 254: AHSC Hello Lovely Card

Happy Monday, Stampin' Friends! Today is an Atlantic Hearts Sketch challenge day!

Today I turned to the Paper Fundamentals line to fill in the Atlantic Hearts sketch, I started with stamping the stitch lines from November SOTM in White Daisy ink. Then I layered on some paper from the Enchantment Fundamentals pack. I added a Cricut butterfly colored and blended with orange alcohol marker.

I edged the butterfly with Black Wink of Stella, before scattering on some Fundamentals Black assortment goodies. The glitter stickers are a new favorite!

Day 241: Whale Hello There Card

I love punny stamp sets. So with 15 adorable animal puns, Animal Greetings has stolen my heart.

I wanted to play with the new sketch from RetroSketches, so I started with a panel of White Daisy cardstock. I splattered the background with grey watercolor paint. I stamped on a frame from one of the Artistry sets in Memento Tuxedo black. Then I layered on three kinds of washi tape.

I added a 1/2 in banner stamped with the punny sentiment using Pomegranate ink. I added a wooden arrow from the Black Fundamentals line. The cute little whale is watercolored and popped up on thin 3-D foam tape. I added a Bitty Sparkle colored with a black alcohol marker for his eye. 

Day 238: Life is Looking UP Disney Layout

I finally finished my UP layout from July's convention, picture and all! 

CTMH gave us this project to complete, and it's just gorgeous. The balloons are all cut from the new fundamentals paper Enchantment palette.

The sentiments running down the side here are a combo of stamps and fundamentals stickers. The gold stars and bow are from the gold assortment.

Here you can see the blue watercolor background they had us add. Finishing this page makes me even more excited to be attending the CTMH Consultant Album Retreat in November. I can't wait to see what they've cooked up for us to make!