Close To My Heart Swan Lake

It is Sunday and that means it is time to post some fun artwork using a CTMH product.  This month, my friend Karen and I have decided to highlight Swan Lake along with the Stamp of the Month for September called Blessed Beyond Measure.

I wanted to show how the Swan Lake paper and the STOM could be used without adding the Fall pumpkin.  Included in the stamp set are these fun leaves.  I randomly stamped the leaves around the outer edges of my focal mat.  I then added the berries that are also included in the stamp set.  The sides are heavily sponged using Whisper and Fern ink.   By the way, the paper on the left edge is the color Poppy (featured in the Swan Lake paper packet.)  I embossed it using one of the new CTMH embossing folders called Wood Slats (Z3248.)  I sanded it for extra texture.

This month, Close To My Heart has a wonderful promotion to celebrate National Stamping Month.  It is called Create Kindness and features a number of stamps along with cute 3 x 3 cards.  Using one of the featured stamps and Swan Lake paper, I created this card.

The stamp is only available during the month of September.  It is totally handy image that will be usable for many different projects.  A lined stamp, I colored it using my Shin Hann markers.

Last but not least, these are 2 of the cute little 3 x 3 inch cards that are included in the Create Kindness kit.  For more details about the promotion, or to check out the Stamp of the Month and Swan Lake paper packet, stop by my website.  Also, don't forget to check out Karen's Blog for samples of her artwork.  For Now, Happy Crafting!

Close To My Heart Holiday Expressions Idea Book 2016 is Here!

Every year, I eagerly wait for Close To My Heart to release the Holiday paper packets.  Now is the time to take a look at this year's selection.  You can see the papers at my website. 

You can also see a sample of one of the new papers called Swan Lake (X7212B) over at my friend Karen's Blog.  She has prepared a great card for us using that paper packet along with the CTMH September Stamp of the Month.  Hope on over to Karen's Blog to check it out!  I just love a few of the special things she did, but you will have to hop to her blog to check them out.

For fun, I'm sharing a couple other things I've recently made.  If you remember, I am the Floral Designer at my local Michaels Arts and Crafts Store.  Here is one of my recent arrangements.

I also teach a monthly class at my Community Center and I thought I would share the upcoming project.

For Now, Happy Crafting!

A Card Challenge and CTMH For Always

For those of you who don't realize this, I often help out with challenges over at the Crafting By Designs Challenge Blog.  It is a group of very talents ladies who weekly offer up some really fun challenges.  This week, it was my turn to host the challenge.  I decided that I wanted to do a "Thank You" card challenge, but I haven't been much help to those lovely ladies recently in addition to saying thank you to the many many participants on the blog.

 

You might have notices that I am using an awful lot of For Always right now.  Well, that is because my monthly workshop features this paper packet and I have been busy designing card to include in class.  This card features last month's CTMH Stamp of the Month, Lagoon and Pacifica card stock and For Always.  I colored the flowers using our Alcohol Markers and the Sentiment was Rock and Roll stamped with Lagoon and Pacifica inks.

So, if you are in the mood to make a Thank You card, click on over to Crafting By Designs and add your creation!  For Now, Happy Crafting!