New Product Blog Hop: November and December CTMH Catalog

Have you already been drooling over perusing the brand new November/December Close To My Heart Idea Book?  It offers so many cute products just in time for your holiday crafting!  You're going to get lots of inspiration on this new product blog hop!  (If you're already hopping, then you've probably arrived from Miss Carrie's blog.  From here, you'll visit Kristine's blog next.)

I did not go the traditional holiday route with my featured project.  The greens (Clover and NEW Candy Apple) of the new Holly Jolly collection were perfect with these amazing photos from our younger daughter's high school graduation photo shoot this spring.  I paired Pebble, black, and gold to match the photos.

To create my banners, I used the Artistry CTMH/Cricut collection, and then stamped my title in Black with the Simply Said stamp set from Story by Stacy (available in the 2019-20 Core Catalog).

The pretty black & white striped bows are from the Cedar & Pines collection, and they are perfectly tied and self-adhesive (Swoon!)!

Because the photo shoot turned out so well (Thank you, Alex Collins!), I am using a flip flap to add another photo (this smirk cracks me up) and will add journaling before adding this layout to her senior year album.

I used Holly Jolly dots, gold glitter gems, gold shimmer trim, and NEW gold stickles to accent this layout.

Because my photos of my layout don't do the actual photos justice, here's her graduation announcement photo.  (Thank you for letting me share my beautiful girl!)  Note that our holiday papers don't have to be used for a holiday project!

Thank you for hopping by!  Please leave a comment before you hop on over to Kristine's blog!

{Click HERE for all the hop participants and their blogs.}

Stamp of the Month Blog Hop: Family Time

Welcome to the November Close To My Heart stamp of the month blog hop featuring Family Time!  (If you're already hopping, then you've probably arrived from the creative Miss Carrie's blog.  From here, you'll visit Kristine next.)

For my card, I was challenged to use the Holly Jolly collection, but I'm not quite ready for Christmas!  I decided to focus on the blues and greens, so I stamped "Grateful" in new Green Apple ink, "for you" in Clover, and the flower and arrows in Glacier.  Adding the neutral Toffee lined petals and spray plus the Espresso flower center helped ground the entire card.  (I'd like to try this card again using Clover for "Grateful" and Candy Apple for the "for you" sentiment.  I'll post if I do!)

Adding the gold and white ribbon, gold shimmer gems, and Holly Jolly Dots finished off the card nicely (in my opinion).  I'm really glad that I added the ribbon.

This stamp set provides so many opportunities for crafting projects!  Please leave a comment before continuing the hop at Kristine's blog for more great ideas.

{Click HERE for all the hop participants and their blogs.}

Artbooking Halloween Card

Since both of our girls are in college, I wanted to send them something special in the mail for Halloween.  I decided to use the CTMH/Cricut Artbooking cartridge to make a haunted house "card" even though the Cricut idea is to make a mini book.

I cut all of these pieces at 4.25" so that they would easily fit in a card envelope.  I had originally planned on using the Saffron bat cutout behind the black haunted house cut, but you really couldn't see the bats.  I decided to cut a Saffron background for the haunted house cut and then a Charcoal background for the Saffron bats cut out.  (Hopefully that makes sense!)

I attempted to sponge a sunset on the Saffron background so that the windows would seem lit up and the background would be the setting sun.  I sponged Saffron, Paprika, and Sangria inks on the background.  I used a scrap of Hawthorn Sage herringbone B&T for the door.  I added gold Stickles to mimic candles in the windows, and used a white epoxy gem for the "full moon."  I bound the card together with thin white & gold ribbon.

On the inside of my card, I used a retired Halloween stamp set for the bats and the "Happy Halloween" sentiment (stamped in Sangria and again in Charcoal to fussy cut the bat after cutting out the circle with my Thin Cuts).

Hopefully the girls will like their Halloween surprise!  I am featuring this card on the Heart2Heart "Anything Goes" challenge and entering the Color Dare #366 Hawthorn Tic-Tac-Toe challenge (Sangria, Charcoal, & Saffron), the Double Trouble #41 Batty Challenge, and the Crafting Happiness #20 Halloween challenges.

CTMH Technique Blog Hop: Back to the Basics

This month's technique blog hop is to get back to the basics.  You are going to see so many variations on this theme, and you might learn a new technique or two along the way! (If you're already hopping, then you've probably arrived from Melissa's blog.  From here, you'll visit Miss Carrie's Creations next.)

My first "back to basics" is that I used the Hawthorn collection with a sketch from the (retired) Magic How-To Guide. 

 I used the October stamp of the month, Autumn Air, to accent my layout.

My next "back to basics" is rainbow inking, or inking up my stamps in more than one color before stamping.  NOTE: Always ink up with your lightest and then move to your darker colors.  For "Fall" I inked up the top half with Paprika and the bottom half with Sangria.  The small leaf was inked with Sage and I then rolled an edge in Paprika.

You can really see this stamping technique on the large sentiment square.  After lining up the two stamps onto my block, I inked up the top portion with Saffron and then the middle portion with Paprika, finishing with Sangria on the bottom.  (With a large image like this one, you might want to "huff," or blow some warm breath, onto your inked image to make sure all the ink is wet before stamping.)

Thank you for visiting!  Please leave a comment before you hop on over to Miss Carrie's blog to continue the Back to the Basics blog hop.

H2H Sparkle

Close To My Heart offers so many ways to add sparkle to your projects, and the most recent October Heart2Heart Challenge is capitalizing on this sparkly goodness!

While you might not see the sparkle at first, just turn this wedding card a bit in the light to see the Mint and Juniper shimmer brushes on the vellum flower die cut.

That velvet Julep ribbon is delicious and luxurious!  Unfortunately, the Swiss Dots folder is no longer available.

Be sure to check out all of the H2H Sparkly creations and join us this month!

October Stamp of the Month Blog Hop: Autumn Air

The calendar says that fall is here, but we are still sweltering in the South!  Hopefully the October stamp of the month, Autumn Air, will help you get into the fall spirit.  (If you're already hopping, you've probably arrived from Brenda's blog.  From here, you'll visit Kristine next.)

My card was quick to make.  (I was inspired by a card on p. 20 of the current September-October catalog.)  I began with a Toffee cardstock base, then added pieces of Hawthorn paper.  Because I didn't have the new Paprika and Sangria inks (yet), I stamped the sentiment in Saffron only, but now that I have all three inks I would use them all for a rainbow effect.  I finished my card with gold shimmer trim and the acorn and leaf that I fussy cut then mounted with foam tape for a little dimension.

Please leave a quick comment before you continue along the hop to see what Kristine has created to inspire you!

{Click HERE for all the hop participants and their blogs.}

A Little Hello

My nephew and I recently made two similar versions of this card to send to my girls in college.

We used the Hawthorn collection, and I cut the pumpkin from CTMH/Cricut Artistry collection with Sage and Saffron card stock.  We used the September stamp of the month, Random Acts of Cardness, for our sentiment, and tied a little white & gold ribbon around the stem.

 After making the card, Will didn't have a whole lot to say. LOL

Isn't this sweet?  He has been my crafting buddy for a long time.

The September stamp of the month will soon be gone, so get yours ASAP!

Share the Seasons Blog Hop

In honor of National Stamping Month, Close To My Heart is offering a few Share the Seasons options.  We have two stamp sets and two Thin Cuts die cuts that you can buy individually or in bundles through the end of the month.  Get some great ideas along this blog hop!  (If you're already hopping then you've probably arrived from Michelle's blog.  From here, you'll visit Miss Carrie's Creations next.)

Since the bundles with the Thin Cuts are currently on back order (but available to order if you're willing to wait), I focused on the Giving Thanks stamp set and the Hawthorne collection.  This card came together quickly with the help from a Make It From Your Heart sketch and Saffron, Sapphire, and Toffee ink.  I embellished my card with White & Gold thin ribbon and some gold glitter gems.  (One of my college daughters will be getting this card before you know it...)

Thanks for hopping by!  Please leave a comment before you hop on to Miss Carrie's Creations!

{Click HERE for all the hop participants and their blogs.}

CTMH Technique Blog Hop: It's in the Script!

This month's technique challenge is to use script stamps and/or penmanship in your artwork.  Be sure to click on the names to continue through this great hop. (If you're already hopping, then you've probably arrived from Michelle's blog.  From here, you'll visit Miss Carrie's Creations next.)

The new Every Little Thing collection was perfect to pair with pictures from my cousin's wedding reception way back in 2006.  (I feel very little guilt that these haven't been preserved before.  I knew exactly where to find them, and I was right, they are terrific with this collection!

 Because I had so many photos, I ended up trimming all but two down to 3.5"x3.5".  Because I didn't want to trim my two 4"x6" photos, I made all the pieces that make up the four columns measure 4" tall but only 3.5" wide.  That gave my photos a "Polaroid"-type frame and allowed me to write who was in each picture underneath.  I just used my own handwriting for my journaling.

 While this isn't the best photo, I wanted you to see the shimmer on the vellum butterfly die cut from the Mint, Julep, Wisteria, and Black shimmer brushes.

 Can you believe this adorable (at least to me!) four-year-old is now 18?!?  Notice also the Wisteria and Julep shimmer brush painting on the vellum rose die cuts.  Also, just how much do you love that gorgeous new Julep velvet ribbon?!?

On both pages, I used the new Sentiments by Melissa Esplin to stamp Congrats, Celebrate, and Mr. & Mrs. in black ink.  I used my journaling pen for the rest.  I embellished each stamped phrase with Julep glitter gems.

Scrappers, don't feel guilty for not being caught up and/or for scrapbooking out of order.

Thanks for hopping by!  Please leave a comment before hopping over to visit Miss Carrie's Creations.

I'm also linking this layout up to the Heart 2 Heart Challenges "The Little Things."

New Product Blog Hop: September-October 2019

Welcome to the September-October 2019 blog hop!  (If you're already hopping then you've probably arrived from the talented Brenda's blog.  From here, you'll visit creative Becca next.)  Close To My Heart is now offering a core catalog plus the September-October exclusive catalog.

I paired the September stamp of the month, Random Act of Cardness, with the amazingly pretty Every Little Thing Collection.  For my both of cards, I used the Every Little thing paper pack, coordinating card stock, and our new color of the year, Julep, glitter paper and ribbon.

I colored the vellum butterfly and heart (plus the heart in the stamped image) with Mint and NEW Wisteria shimmer brushes.

My second card uses the same materials but a different sketch from Make It From Your Heart, Vol. 4.

In the closeup, the Mint, Julep, Wisteria, and Black shimmer brushes really sparkle!

Thanks for letting me share parts of the pretty Every Little Thing and our beautiful shimmer brushes with you (plus the fabulous September stamp of the month)!  Please leave a comment before you click on her name to go to Becca's blog to continue the hop.

{Click HERE for all the hop participants and their blogs.}

September Stamp of the Month Blog Hop: Random Acts of Cardness

Close To My Heart has an amazing September stamp of the month, Random Act of Cardness!  You are going to want this set, especially after you see all the great ideas along this hop.  You're also going to love all the new products that you see on this hop, because CTMH just released TWO new catalogs: a core catalog available through August 2020, and a special September-October seasonal catalog! (If you're already hopping then you've probably arrived from the talented Brandi's blog.  From here, you'll visit creative Becca next.)

My card, however, doesn't use any of the new products.  In the hustle and bustle of back to school, I thought I had placed a new product order but actually did not hit the final "submit" button.  (That has since been rectified!)  I'm calling this a lemonade card because I definitely made lemonade out of lemons. (LOL!)  I started with a 5.25"x4" panel of White Daisy cardstock onto which I stamped the sentiment in black.  I then added a strip of black shimmer trim on the diagonal, followed by 1/2" wide strips of black cardstock and both sides of Sapphire cardstock.  A strip of silver shimmer trim then two pieces of Mint cardstock (both sides) finished the front.  I then attached this piece to a slightly larger panel of black cardstock and then finally onto the front of a Mint sidefold card.  I used Liquid Glass to attach the sequins to finish off this card.

The colors seem to show up better at this angle.

Don't you love all the sentiments in this great set?  Remember, it is only available this month! Please leave a comment before hopping on over to Becca's blog.  Thank you!

{Click HERE for all the hop participants and their blogs.}

Sparkle and Shine Technique Blog Hop

Are you ready to sparkle and shine?  We have a great collection of sparkly projects to share with you along this hop.  (If you're already hopping, then you've probably arrived from Michelle's blog.  From here, you'll visit Danielle next.)

We were very fortunate to travel to Europe this summer, starting in Germany where our older daughter was studying abroad, and ending up in Paris.  Because we were there for a week, I plan on dedicating an entire album to Paris.  Here is my title page.  We actually saw the Eiffel Tower at night on our very last night there!

To make this layout really sparkle, I used gold glitter paper, black shimmer trim, and my gold shimmer brush. I started out "painting" gold shimmer behind my title (cut from the CTMH/Cricut Artbooking collection), but then decided to add more in basically all the white areas.  Unfortunately, that shimmer doesn't photograph well.

I used the Seasonal Mix-In paper pack and Saffron cardstock to match my photo.  The triangles were also cut from the Artbooking collection.  Can you tell where I got my layout idea?  Look through the current Seasonal Expressions...

Look on page 43...

I used the Into the Wild Deluxe Scrapbooking Workshop instructions to create my layout!  Don't be afraid to CASE (copy and steal exactly) something you like (while giving credit to the original) or add your own twist.  I think this black, white, and gold layout is very sophisticated yet the original was quite rustic.  The bones, however, are pretty much identical.

Thank you for visiting and sharing a few more of my travels with me.  (There will be lots more to come!)  I'd love a comment before you hop on over to Danielle's blog next!