Monday Motivations Team Card

This week (on Monday) my team made this card, using the January SOTM that will be available soon. We embossed White Daisy CS using a Cuttlebug folder, then painted it with CTMH's pearl paint. A few 1" strips of Wonderland Paper, and some Cricut scalloped circles and frames for layering, and we had an adorable card in minutes!

I love how the hemp is so skinny and delicate. Did you know you could separate the CTMH hemp just like embroidery floss? Just twist the end of your string between your fingertips until it begins to unravel, then slowly separate the layers. Works on waxy flax too!

Moxie Fab Tuesday Trigger & SOTM Sneak Peek!

I've been meaning to hop on this Tuesday trigger all week - but Christmas Holiday Hoopla took a bit of precedence over my need to be in the stamp room. No time like the present, right before it expires to get a new Trigger tomorrow! This week's trigger is called Simply Stripes, and I simply love stripes! For this card I used the upcoming January Stamp of the Month (which, I know, is not available until January, but it was so perfect for what I wanted to do....). I used it to make a glowing ball to drop for this New Year's card!

I pulled the brown and blue tones from the Trigger to create my card.I stamped the big circle calendar image onto a 2 1/2" scallops circle cut on Cricut with my Art Philosophy Cartridge. I cut it on the Layer feature so the center was cut out. Then I layered it over a fancy Doily looking snowflake image I fussy cut out of some Wonderland paper I had left over from this workshop.

I created the striped background paper using 1/2" strips of Kraft CS sponged on the edges with Colonial White Pigment ink. Then I stamped one of the line stitch images from the SOTM in the same Colonial White pigment ink on the edges of the 1/2" strips and in between the strips I masked the centers of the 1/2" strips with post-it notes, then I over-stamped with the number grid in Twilight ink, and sponged it with my big sponge and more twilight ink.

The year numbers are stamped in Twilight Ink and fussy cut as well. Lots of Stardust Glitter Glitz gel and sparkles finished my sparkly New Year's Eve Ball.

Here's the actual Tuesday Trigger for my inspiration, from Moxie Fab World. There will be a new one tomorrow.  Be sure to check it out and play along - it's fun!

December Club pages!

This Wonderland paper is just so yummy; I can't get enough! Here are the six pages for Club in December.

 

 

Now back to prepping for Black Friday Holiday Hoopla - see you there!

Remember when we became friends?

I am loving the Facebook posts folks are doing about things they are grateful for every day this month. I wish I was that organized about posting to my wall, but I tend to lean more to silly pictures of the boys and random stories about their misadventures than actual deep thoughts. Not to say that I'm not grateful...I've got a lot to be thankful for, starting with all those silly stories about my crazy little boys. And luckily, lots of friends with whom I can share those stories! 

Tonight's card inspiration came from a few sources: a sketch from Mojo Monday, the Metals challenge from Heart 2 Heart (where you'll find two of my projects in last month's top ten!), and the Tuesday Trigger from Moxie Fab World. I was planning to take the evening off, as the boys have been taking it in turns to disturb my sleep rather thoroughly lately, but when that Trigger showed up in my in box, the card I'd been planning for Mojo just came together in my head and I had to get it down on paper, so to speak!

I used my favorite paper pack lately, Wonderland. I can't get enough of that lovely blue and brown polka dot! The diagonals on the purse reminded me of my fav new print, and I had already made the basic Honey colored Cricut Art Philosophy Roses. So I gave up my comfy spot on the couch and got my fingers inky!

I took my basic roses and started distressing them by pounding them flatter with a stamping block. Then I using my piercing tool tip to spread a combo of Liquid Glass tinted with Sunset reinker along the edges of the flower petals to create my variegated flowers. I used the same reinker tinted Liquid Glass to shade my cream colored Pearl Opaques for the centers of my flowers and the check box on my sentiment. I've been itching to use this set - it's one of THREE adorable coordinating sets that are included in the Cricut Art Philosophy Collection. I love being able to cut the exact shape out of my paper so easily with the measurements for the Cricut cut printed right on the stamp set liners - sweet!

I used my WIDE striped ribbon as one of the background layers for the card sketch, and trimmed some scraps in half to create the folded ribbon leaves for my flower cluster. Finally, I stamped the stitch border (using my fav stitch from the Elemental scrapbook kit) and added a row of bitty brads down the right side.

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With my ink addiction now satiated, I'm off to bed. Sweet Dreams!

This Post is linked to:
Mojo Monday Sketch 215
Heart 2 Heart Metals Challenge
Moxie Fab World Tuesday Trigger

Give Thanks!

Thanksgiving is coming up quicker than quick, and I've been buried in prep for the Black Friday Holiday Hoopla. I have a lot to be thankful for this year, so this was a fun project to reflect on while I was crafting; a little happiness therapy if you will.

I used the Card Patterns Sketch 141 as the jumping off point for my project tonight. I loved the idea of the little banner across the top, and I knew I wanted to make it something special. Then I saw the Championing Award Medallions Challenge in the Moxie Fab World and I knew what I wanted to do: a Thanksgiving Card I could use in my Holiday Mantel Display!
I used the polka dot print from the Wonderland Paper packet for my background print, mounted on some of my hoard of Textured Cocoa CS which I sanded. I trimmed the zip strip from the top of my B&T to use for the medallions. I scored that 1/2" x 12" strip every 1/4 inch, folded it up, then adhered the ends together to make a zigzag circle. I like to apply monoadhesive to a backing circle of CS then press the medallion onto the sticky circle to hold it in place. then I fill the center with Liquid Glass and then I pop a block on top to hold everything down while the Liquid Glass dries in the center for a more permanent bond. I added a link at the bottom of this post to a video tutorial by one of my favorite CTMH Artist that makes in in a (sort of) similar way to me, at least the squishing motion which is hard to explain in words.

I made five of these medallions, topped with Neutral craft buttons and Waxy Flax stitches or bows. I draped my medallion banner across the top of the card. Then I cut a 2" length of the super wide Striped Ribbon into 4 long skinny strips to make the banner ties, which are just glued on with Liquid Glass.

I added letters cut on my Art Philosophy Cartridge at 3/4", which I then flooded with Bronze Glitter Glitz for more of a holiday feel. I do this in two layers to get the raised effect with less drying time. A bit of that gorgeous wide striped ribbon and some faux stitching around the edges and I was feeling very thankful indeed.

This Post is linked up 4 times:
Moxie Fab Championing Award Medallions Challenge
Card Patterns Sketch 141
Heart 2 Heart Challenges Gratitude
Paper Issues Thankful for Fall

And, as promised, in case you need a visual on making the medallions:

Accordion Medallion Video Tutorial from Lisa Stenz

Black Friday Holiday Hoopla!

It's that time of year...time for crafty chicks to think about handmade, from the heart holiday gifting and cards! Not sure you have the time? Come to the annual Black Friday Holiday Hoopla and let me show you how!
What is a Black Friday Holiday Hoopla? It's a fabulous holiday themed day of projects - instead of fighting the crazy crowds, you could be sipping cocoa and stamping the day away! All the projects are precut and ready to stamp/assemble for stress free crafting time. You'll have the whole day to spread out and create your projects. Light lunch and snacks are provided. Plus there will be goodie bags, prize drawings, and lots of giggling!

Choose one project, multiple kits of a single project (in case you need to gift to lots of family/friends), or take one of everything - the choice is yours. You can bring outside projects as well - all are welcome (well, at least up to 20 for seats!). The first ten stampers who pre-order the I Want It All package will get the Holiday Brag Book project pictured above for FREE (retail value $20)! The Bonus project has ten adorably decorated pages inside for adding 4x6 photos and journaling, and will not be made available to purchase separately.

Holiday Hoopla!

Black Friday, November 25th From as early as you feel like arriving to 5 p.m.
Super Saturday, November 26th Bonus Crop/Class time, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.


Lunch and snacks provided on both days.
Can't attend? To Go kits available IF ordered by the RSVP date, to be mailed directly to you!
RSVP by Monday, November 14th!

Class Choices:

Awesome Advent Activity Box ($20): Create this box chock full of ideas for daily holiday activities through the month of December. Add a picture to the back of each activity card to easily transform your activity box into a memory keeper your family will cherish and enjoy!

Terrific Tree Decor ($15): Craft this sparkly set of two paper trees for your mantle this holiday season. They coordinate nicely with the Advent box for display, too!

Pretty Picture Calendar ($15): Designed by my talented friend Ginni, this perpetual calendar will brighten anyone's day! Add 12 of your 4x6 photos for a wonderful (and easy) year in review. CLICK HERE to see a sample of an inner page layout!

Charming Card Tree ($25):  I can't wait to hang this gorgeous holiday Card tree (designed by Ginni) up in my entry way! The "ornaments" on the tree, made with Cricut and our new Icings Clear overlays, are on clips so you can add your holiday greetings to the display as they arrive bringing cheer and love to your home.

Stamp-A-Stack ($1 per card): It's back - the most popular card workshop of the year! Choose from 4 pretty holiday card designs and order the exact number of cards you need at just $1 per card! CLICK HERE to see my post with pictures of all the choices. For each order of 25 cards you'll get FREE glitter glitz gel in the color of your choice!

The I Want It All Option!
Can't decide which projects to choose? Take the full day of classes! For $100 you'll get one of each project including your choice of 25 Stamp A Stack Cards, PLUS the Free Glitz Gel AND (the 1st ten who RSVP with payment) will receive the bonus Holiday Brag Book project. Not to mention bonus tickets for the drawings that day. Some substitutions available - contact me for details!

H2H Challege + More Swap Sneak Peek

After a fun time at the pumpkin patch today, we came home and I had a nap with Not-So-Baby Max instead of getting up to my room to photograph and post these cards - totally worth it! In any case, Last night I did these two cards, both for my Swap due on November 2nd. 3 down, 1 to go!

The first one is based off the Sketch Challenge from Heart 2 Heart from back at the beginning of October. I used on of the beautiful new Top Coats Icings Overlays for the shiny foil accented borders in the background. I used one of the 4x6 photo overlays, trimmed off the borders, and layered those as ribbons. I find it super helpful to use my Rub & Remove Eraser to help peel off the non-scratch shipping coating from the acrylic image.I stamped and paper pieced the coffee mug using the Stamp set that comes in our upcoming December Club kit called Wonderland. The sentiment is stamped on an oval frame (cut using the Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge). Then I accented everything with Stardust glitter glitz! There's a lot of sanding on the Chocolate Cardstock background - I love the super heavy grit on our adorable little sanding block. You just lay that awesome White Core CTMH cardstock on your scratch paper and sand away for that rough crosshatch texture.

The second card for tonight is also for the swap, and uses that same Wonderland paper and stamp set from our upcoming club kit. I paper pieced the mittens in Chocolate and Twilight by stamping the mittens once in each color. Then I trimmed off stripes of the Twilight color and mounted them onto the Chocolate colored image. I filled them in with Stardust (on the blue) and Bronze (on the chocolate) glitter Glitz Gel. Then I triple stamped the Polka Dot Border in twilight and accented with a teeny tiny organdy wrap and bow. Simple and sweet!

Tomorrow my Black Friday peeks continue. Thanks for stopping by!