Thursday, October 24, 2013

CTMH Scrapbooking Operation Smile Crop Prep

Well, less than 48 hours till my Operation Smile Charity Crop. Whew, lots and lots of work. For fun, this is what my living room currently looks like. :o)
 
There are still a few spots left so if you live in the Philadelphia PA area, message me...  We would love for you to join us! For Now, Happy Crafting!

Tuesday, October 22, 2013

Close To My Heart (CTMH) Scrapbooking

Close To My Heart recently released this video and I just had to share it!
For Now, Happy Crafting!

Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Close To My Heart Holidays From The Heart Gift Guide

Finally, the Holidays From The Heart Gift Guide is here!  This is the first time that I remember CTMH releasing an Idea Book supplement and the just released products are terrific.  The Gift Guide is a 21 page pamphlet that contains a new paper packet, a gift bag set, stamps, sparkles ... oh my!  :o)

 
This is a card that I made using the new paper that is called "Sparkle and Shine."  The paper packet is hard to describe as the patterns include fun ornaments, polka dots, hounds tooth, a lattice pattern and these traditional stripe and small pattern papers used in my card.  The coordinating colors are Ruby, Slate, Whisper, Juniper and Sparkle and Shine Gray.  I think Topiary green would also look terrific.  This adorable little bird and the sentiment are from the Season's Tweeting Gift Bag Kit (Z1913.)  That kit is another one of those terrific deals that CTMH offers....6 large muslin patterned bags, a stamp set and the die cut tags that you need to spice up your gift giving.  And, the stamp set is so cute, after your bags are made, you use the stamp set to make cards.  :o)
 
 

If you click on the cover, the link will take you to a place to view all the fun products in the guide.  I also just want to say, that not everything in the guide is Christmas based.  There are great stamp sets for Valentines Day along with a stamp set that has a Hot Air Balloon!  Some of the items in the Gift Guide are "While Supplies Last," while others are sneak peaks at items that will be in the Spring 2014 book.  So my suggestion is to check out the guide on my website and make sure you get in on the fun!  By the way, if you order over $100 from either the guide or the current IB, you'll get to pick one of the marked items in the book for free!  The potentially free items are clearly marked with a star in the guide.

I hope you enjoy the guide!  For Now, Happy Crafting!

Wednesday, October 9, 2013

CTMH Frosted - Joyful Stars Blog Hop

It's that time again...  the 9th of the month means the Joyful Stars Blog Hop!  I enjoy participating in the hop and seeing the work of so many talented fellow CTMH Consultants.  This month, our theme is either Fall or Christmas using new CTMH products.  If you got here from Stephanie's Blog you are on the right track.

I got this stamp called Christmas Village (D1554) shortly after Convention and hadn't really used it that much, but loved it from the moment I saw it.   I've wanted to make a project using this wonderful stamp and thought our blog hop would be the perfect time.

 
 



 
Each of these cute little houses are in the stamp set.  I stamped each one on Cashmere card stock and cut them out.  I did the same with the 6 evergreen trees using Olive and New England Ivy.  Each image was colored with my pencils and then highlighted with Prisma Glitter and Liquid Applique.  The road was made from a torn strip of Cocoa, sanded and then accented with Liquid Applique.  It was built on sanded Crystal Blue that was accented with clouds that are from a retired set.  The wooden frame was painted with Pearl Paint colored with Champagne re-inker, the front was covered with a sheet of Frosted paper and then accented with the sparkle flourishes and the sentiment stamped with pigment ink and heat embossed.  Foam tape was used to give the 3D effect.
 
It's time to hop on over to Helen's Blog and see what she has created for us.  If you get lost at any point, head back to the start at Joyce's Blog.  Thanks for stopping by and For Now, Happy Crafting!

Monday, October 7, 2013

CTMH Huntington

There is just something I love about the CTMH Huntington paper packet.  I've used it for multiple cards and for a Heritage Layout.  It is vintage, fall and the gray paper mixed with black and white would be perfect for a wedding card.  Today, I used it for its intended purpose...a fall card.

 
This card is for my upcoming October Crafting in the Country workshop.  It uses the Perfect Fit Thanksgiving stamp set (B1427) for the sentiment and the pumpkins are from last year's September STOM.  We had used that in last years October class.  Each of my classes builds upon a previous class.  We review techniques we've done in the past (in case some one new is joining us), sometimes use stamps from previous classes with new papers and always have a new technique.  Last month, we did the Frosted Workshop on the Go, so I wanted to use one of the sketches we used from that class to show that a sketch works for multiple styles of cards.

This card is done on an A2 base of Barn Red.  The mats are sponged with Cashmere and the pumpkin has been stamped with Archival Black and colored with my CTMH Alcohol Markers.  The card is also embellished with Bitty Pearls and hemp.

So, remember, just because a paper or a sketch has been pictured using it is one set way, doesn't mean you can't change it up and call it your own.  For Now, Happy Crafting!

Saturday, October 5, 2013

Operation Write Home Blog Hop

Welcome everyone!  I'm so happy to be participating again this year the World Card Making Day Blog Hop.  Our goal this year is to share a "thank you" card using one of the Stars and Stripes Sketches. 

And, here is my card.



It is made entirely of Close To My Heart Products and I used sketch #58 to complete the card.  Hop on back to the main page to see more terrific cards!  For Now, Happy Crafting!


Friday, October 4, 2013

Christmas Floral Designs

Just for fun, here are a couple more items I made while working at the store today.  Can you believe that not only am I working on Holiday Paper Crafting items, but I'm also doing nothing but the Holidays at my floral job at Michaels.


The wreath is made entirely from deco mesh.  I am racking my brain on how to include deco mesh in my paper crafting.  What I love about my floral job is that there are so many of the same design principals in both.  What do you think?  For Now, Happy Crafting!

Thursday, October 3, 2013

CTMH Frosted and Christmas Village

I have wanted to try CTMH's Christmas Village since I got it right after Convention.  Finally, today, I had a little time to play so out came the stamp set.  CTMH Frosted is perfect for this stamp. 


 

Christmas Village (D1554) is a terrific stamp set that has 6 charming Victorian look buildings along with a size appropriate tree, snowman and fence gate.  It even has a nice sentiment (not the one I used on this card.)  The minute I saw it, creative possibilities began swirling in my mind.  Everyone knows how I love to color and each of the stamps is a line stamp just perfect to color and shade.  Each of the buildings are individual so I can image a full village.  Love it!

This card is made with CTMH Frosted (X7175B,) Champagne, Twilight and Crystal Blue card stock along with Silver Shimmer Tape, sparkles and baker's twine hemp.  The sentiment is from a current set called Holiday Cheer (B1381.)

Stop by my website and take a look at this terrific stamp set.  How many possibilities can you think of?  For Now, Happy Crafting!

Wednesday, October 2, 2013

CTMH Huntington Workshop

It's time again for me to begin working on my October Workshop featuring CTMH Huntington.  I love that paper packet!  This month not only will we be using Huntington (X7174B), but we will also be using the CTMH Stamp Set called Perfect Fit - Thanksgiving (B1427.)  Why is it called "Perfect Fit?"...several of the images are meant to coordinate with the Artiste Cricut Cartridge (Z1790.)  No more hand cutting out those intricate designs.  Now you can cut your image, grab your stamp and create the perfect shape!

That is exactly what I did on this card.  I cut out the turkey and then inked the corresponding stamp in multiple shades to give my bird a realistic look.  We are also going to be working with CTMH burlap ribbon for the workshop.  The sketch is from Make It From The Heart Volume 2.  Instead of using card stock for the horizontal stripe, I used burlap.  The pins are also currently available on my website under "While Supplies Last."  I've always loved those pins.

Well, it's time to head off and create more Huntington Cards for the workshop.  For Now, Happy Crafting!