Day 141: Convention Contest Layout

Each year at convention there's a big Layout Contest. This year's theme was Make It From Your Heart. I thought long and hard about how I wanted to express that theme, before taking a little bit of everything I love and putting it into one layout.

For the background I cut and sanded strips of Black Cardstock, then created the bold black stripes. I had seen this pic of a wedding bouquet on Pinterest and I wanted to turn that into a scrapbook page. I used this 2011 layout from a now defunct blog as a sketch of sorts, since I basically wanted to create my own B&T bar filled with pics of the artwork that I've made from my heart. I used Blossom and Chalk It Up B&Ts for that picture bar.

I cut the title from Gold Glitter paper using the Artiste cartridge font. I popped up the bigger letters using the Thin 3-D foam tape - this is my favorite foam tape ever! The first time I got it was on accident, because I hadn't realized we were carrying two widths of foam tape, and now I can't live without it. I added a ton of hand stitching in Gold thread using our Stitch Ruler.

I struggled with journaling this page a bit. It's hard to put into words why you love what you do sometimes. For me, I make things not just because it's fun, or glitter is cool, but because this craft allows me to spend time reflecting on the good in my life. Family. Friends. Love. Joy. Happiness. My life isn't perfect, but it's perfect for me. This craft renews my heart and makes me a better mom, wife, sister, and friend. It's like counting your blessings every time I make a page.  

Of course, I also find the process of creating pretty things from nothing but some white paper, ink, and water pretty fascinating. You can check out my Rolled Flower Tutorial for the lowdown on how I did these watercolor paper flowers. I find it so satisfying to create something from simple materials. 

Finally, instead of a banner I actually added my business card to this side of the layout. I usually put my class schedule on the back, but after my move I haven't started a regular schedule again yet. So this time I chose a quote.

I won't lie - this layout took me a while to finish. It was a labor of love, pure and simple. 

Day 127: Rolled Flower Tutorial

So I've been working on these watercolor rolled Cricut cut flowers for a very special project, and posting the pics to my Instagram. We have these flowers in different shapes on many of the CTMH cricut cartridges. This shape in particular is from the Art Philosophy cartridge, which remains my favorite cartridge to this day. It's my favorite flower on my go to, almost-always-has-what-I-need cartridge.

I had cut these flowers out of plain white cardstock, then colored them using a water brush to pick up ink from my ink pads. When the shapes were dry I rolled and shaped them into this:

There was one left over, which I used on this card, which lead to a question on Facebook about how to roll up these funky rolled flower shapes. Since rolling and shaping flowers is one of my favorite things, here's a little infographic tutorial for you!

Seven Steps to Beautiful Rolled Flowers:

1. The first thing I do with a freshly cut rolled flower shape is add a dab of dry adhesive to the flat center of the shape. This could be Tombo, a glue dot, whatever you like that sticks well.
   
2. Then I use my CTMH Quilling tool to roll them. I insert the smallest end into the wide slot on the tool. You could use tweezers, but I find this so much easier.
   
3. Roll up the flower shape towards the center, wrapping it tightly around the tool.
   
4. When you get it rolled as far as you can, Hold it tight for a few seconds to sort of "set" the curl.
   
5. Let it go (Let it go!) and slide it off the tool. Place it on a flat surface and gently tap the center to help it relax into shape. Then press down lightly on that center to stick it to that adhesive we applied earlier. That's just to hold it in place until the next step.
   
6. Apply Liquid Glass (or the sturdy liquid adhesive of your choice) down in between the petals of the flower. Let that dry completely before moving on to the last step.
   
7. Use the quilling tool on the smaller side to roll the petals back. I like to start on the outsdie and work my way in. Sometimes I leave the center area untouched for a more rose like effect. In the photo on the chevron above I used the tool to push in and down the center petals for more of a peony center. If I need it flatter I'll smack it down with a handy 3 x 3 or bigger acrylic block.  Sometimes I fill the centers with Glitter. Take that basic flower and make it your own!

If you want to color on, emboss, sand/distress your flower, do that before you start step one. The possibilities with these rolled flowers are endless...endlessly fun! 

Day 93: Mojo Thank You Card

So I know I've been on kind of a Blossom kick lately, but I just can't seem to get enough of this print! Today I looked at the new Mojo Monday sketch and I just had to make one more Blossom card.

It's Tall and Skinny week over at Mojo, so this is a 3.5 x 5.5 card. I used Smoothie stripe washi tape for the banner, which is carefully pieced from two strips of washi tape. I embossed the scribble circle from Doodled Designs in white embossing powder over the card base design. Then I stamped the circle in Glacier ink. I stamped over the circle with the chevron border in Glacier Ink and added the sentiment in White embossing powder, all from the same Have a Happy Day set. I popped the circle up with foam tape.

I dug around in my Cricut diecut bin and hit paydirt with a Colonial White spiral flower that I hadn't built yet. I inked the edges of the flower in Smoothie ink, and twirled it up on my Quilling tool. After I had secured it with Liquid Glass and it was dry, I curled out the petals using my Quilling tool, then leaned on it a bit with a clean acrylic block to flatten out the flower. A smaller simple daisy shape and some leaves completed my floral spray.   

I'm going to link this one up to the new Paper Issues Hooray for the Red, White, and Blue challenge, as I was actually using Therm-o-Web foam squares on this project instead of my usual CTMH foam tape, because I sold all my foam tape at the show last weekend. I was so glad to find that packet of  Therm-o-Web foam squares in my drawer, and I love that I didn't have to cut up the 1/4" squares. Serendipity!

Day 27: Just Because You're Perfect Card

Today I'm sharing another version of the special custom card order from Jacobsen's Books, The request was 5x7 in blues and greens with perfect friend in the sentiment. I think this fits the bill!

I combined a bit of Snowhaven B&T with some Simple Stories Story of Us music print, mounted onto Whisper and Sky Cardstocks. I embossed the wreath image from Happy to Be Friends, which is also where I got the sentiment. I literally created the YOU'RE by inking individual letters of the small fonts in the set to build the word I needed that was missing. 

I colored each rose by hand using Spectrum Noir markers BT 2 and BT 4 plus DG2 for the leaves, which I cut by hand. I filled the flowers with green stickles. I hit up my ribbons stash again. I've been on a washi tape kick, but sometimes you can't beat the extra dimension and shimmer of real ribbon. I'm linking my stampy card up to the Paper Issues Painting By Numbers Party.

Happy Fall, Y'all!

This morning I'm featured over at Practical Scrappers with this fun fall project!  When I found this chevron print burlap canvas I knew it would be perfect for a pretty scrappy door "wreath", which is ready to start hanging around on my front door now that Fall is really here. I had originally planned to make it more Halloween themed, but then I saw the Tuesday Trigger over at Moxie Fab World and I was immediately inspired to change my whole game plan. We still have a lot of green around in fall up here in the PacNW...plus if you've seen my work before, you know I don't need much encouragement to add glitter and flowers to any project! 

So I hit my stash pretty hard for this project, using up bits and bobs of all kinds of materials to build my flowers. I've got a bit of chocolate felt scallop border that I rolled up into a sweet rose. Layers of Garden Green and Colonial White cardstock were cut with our Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge to build the biggest flowers, topped off with bling from the Rosewood mini medley. I also cut retired Desert Sand linen B&T patterned papers and Creme Brule cardstock for the 3-D rolled flowers, also from Art Philosophy. The leaves and vines are felt. I filled the rolled flowers with glitter glitz and Sparkles, and tucked a little felt acorn detailed with Autumn Terracotta alcohol markers and a Sharpie pen in amongst the flowers and bling. I backed the wreath with a few layers of black tulle...which did not like the hot glue gun so much.

I cut my sentiment on the Cricut as well, using a deep brown glitter paper. The upper letters are layered onto cork from the Midtown shapes.  Most of the materials to build my wreath came from Close To My Heart. I found the burlap canvas at Joann's.  The sequins are from American Crafts filled with brown bitty sparkles. I attached everything using my hot glue gun so it'll be good and sturdy hanging on my sheltered front door. 

I'm linking up to the Paper Issues Halloween Party and the Heart 2 Heart Au Naturale Challenge. 

Now it's time to head off for another week of apple picking, sweater wearing, pumpkin spice everything fun. Happy Fall, Y'all!

April Workshop: Mother's Day Frame

Hello, stampers! I've been hibernating this month, getting ready for the CK show this week. Are you going to be there? Look for a coupon and more detail in your email tonight! We have a fabulous booth planned, with awesome (and affordable) hands-on projects, adorable page kits, and outstanding products, of course! Hope to see you there - I'll have a gift in my pocket for the forst 25 of my stampers who come visit me at the booth!

I've also been a busy bee working on our workshops for April. Monthly Memories club pages for April are Sophia - so adorable! Those will be up on my website later today. For now I want to share the Mother's Day Frame project we'll be doing at the crop day on April 30th. I just LOVE this project!

We'll be learning to make three different kinds of paper flowers, and tips for pleating that yummy extra wide Stitched Sweet Leaf grosgrain ribbon. You can even change the title to whatever you need for your gift! Best of all the project will be $7 or 2 for $12 - an affordable, beautiful, handmade gift from your heart!

I'm only planning to make 24 kits for this frame project, so RSVP asap to reserve your gifts! I can make them up as a take home kit if the date doesn't work for you too. See ya at the show!!

December SOTM Blog Hop!

Welcome to our Stamp of the Month Blog Hop! We will be featuring December's SOTM called  Amore, a set of 13 elegant stamps.

If you have come here from Melissa'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 over 60 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!

There's been a lot of beautiful pink/red, valentine's type artwork around for this set - it's so pretty and elegant! But I'm just not really a Valentine's kind of stamper. I go for the lollipop toppers with Animal faces on them, not the fancy, romantic, gushy cards. I like to look at them, but it's just not my stamping cup of tea, ya know? So what am I gonna do with these 13 beautiful stamps?

I know! I'll turn to my old friend, Autumn Garden color palette. I swear, my favorite color is purple, but Sunflower and Goldrush are some of my go-to colors. Anyhow, I stamped that lovely loopy border onto Desert Sand cardstock, then used my awesome Corner Rounder to create big scalloped borders. I made a little waistband of that Hound's tooth print from the Splendor Packet, and buttoned it up on the side with some craft buttons. I stamped a couple of hearts in the Goldrush and detailed them with our Glitter Glitz - love that stuff! I framed up the top with some Goldrush cardstock, adding a bit of Goldrush ink speckle to the inner frame, and that beautiful LOVE sentiment. Then I added a rolled paper flower, which I hand cut, then rolled on my piercing tool and glued the heck out of with Liquid Glass. Once it was almost dry I smashed it with an acrylic block and painted it with more Glitter Glitz. While I love paper flowers, this one was a very THICK flower technique, so this is a hand-delivery type card for sure!

Now "Hop" on over to Tamytha's Blog to see her work! Be sure to visit all the Consultants at their Blogs to get some great crafting ideas and other fun ideas! Remember, the December SOTM is only available until the last day of December! PLUS December is PLENTY FOR TWENTY time: Place a minimum order of $20 (excluding shipping/handling) during December on my website will receive a popular, retired D-size stamp set for FREE! See the FAQ on my site for details. Be sure to ask your CTMH Consultant (or click here) to see how you can get this stamp set at a discount or even free!