H2H Challenges: Watercolors

The final June Heart 2 Heart Challenge is watercolors, and there are so many ways to interpret this one!  I used a "watercolor smoosh" for my technique and card.

 To begin, lay a piece of plastic wrap at least twice as big as your project onto your work space.  (My "work space"/canvasw was a piece of 4"x5.25" piece of watercolor paper.  Begin by adding drops of clean water to the area that your card panel will cover.  Next, add drops of color onto the plastic wrap wher eyour card stock piece will go.  I used two shades of blue and two shades of purple.  Finally, place your watercolor panel onto the plastic wrap.  Wrap the edges around the card stock and then flip over.  Smooch and spread out as many wrinkles as possible.

My watercolors best matched Crystal Blue (card stock base), plus Thistle and Pansy.  The sentiment (from Happy to Be Friends) was stamped in Pansy and the flowers (from the same set) was stamped with Thistle.  I embellished my flowers with some pretty sparkles.

If you haven't played around with CTMH's watercolors, then you should give them a try!  Google a few videos and then get started!  This is the last H2H challenge for June, so be sure to play along!  Thanks!

Happy 19th Birthday!

Our oldest turned 19 this month, so I had to make her a special card.  I decided to use the Little Dreamer collection and the (retired) Kaleidoscope Workshop on the Go stamp set.

(If you'd like to know how I made this card, you can find more info HERE with the card that I made for my aunt's birthday.)

It was much easier to put 19 candles on her stamped cake than on the real one!

We were blessed to have lots of family come over to help celebrate!

No Worries Blog Hop

The No Worries collection is my favorite in the current Seasonal Expressions 2 Idea Book!  (The other 3 are cute too, but honestly this one's my fave.)  I was super excited to join this blog hop featuring this summer-y, nautical collection!  (If you're already hopping then you've arrived from my friend Melissa's blog.  From here, you'll visit Elly's blog next.)

For this blog hop, I am featuring a card that I made for my aunt's 80th birthday! This collection is perfect for her as she lives in the Sunshine State and chose to meet in our hometown (in Georgia) to be central to a lot of her family.)

To make this collection more feminine, I added Smoothie to the tropical No Worries palette.

To have matching shimmer trim (on the cake and on the second panel of the card), I started with silver shimmer trim and colored it with the Marina Blue Shin Han Twin Touch alcohol marker. All of the cuts were made with the CTMH/Cricut Artistry collection.  All of the embellishments (sequins and burlap ribbon) are part of the No Worries Workshop Your Way collection.

This cool card style started with a piece of 8" tall by 10.5" wide B & T.  I scored this piece at 3.5" from both ends, one a mountain fold and the other a valley fold, to create this cool card design.  Keep the back panel at its complete height and width, but trim the other two at an angle.  I then added in all of my elements.  (Keep the piece that you cut off to help guide the mattes that you might like to make.)

Hopefully my aunt will love this card, because I had so much fun making it for her!  Please leave me a comment before you head off to Elly's blog next.

Retiring Stamp Sets Blog Hop

It's that time of year!  Close To My Heart has announced their retiring list of items that are only available through July, while supplies last, to make room for tons of new product that will be unveiled in August.  (Click HERE to download a PDF of the retiring list.)  This blog hop features many of the stamp sets that are retiring.  (If you're already hopping, then you've arrived from Priscilla's blog.  From here, you'll go to Brenda's blog next.)  I've chosen to feature our state stamps, and specifically my home state of Georgia.  (CTMH offers all 50 states and all of the Canadian provinces through the end of July.)

Both cards feature Sorbet (for the Peach State) and Sweet Leaf with patterned paper from the Whimsy collection.  I used both green and coral shimmer trim on these cards.  (The adorable heart shimmer trim was cut with a hand-held punch that is not from CTMH.)

This first card measures 4"x4" and also features a retired greetings sentiment.

This standard-sized card uses a pattern from Wishes with an added Sweet Leaf polka dot background and green epoxy triangles (if you look closely).

Thank you for hopping by!  Be sure to get your must-have stamp sets before they retire!  I'd appreciate a comment before you head off to Brenda's blog next!

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

June Stamp of the Month Blog Hop: Hello Foxy

The CTMH June stamp of the month, Hello Foxy, is absolutely adorable, and we have a great blog hop showcasing it.  (If you're already hopping, then you should have arrived from Judy Faye's blog.  From here, you'll visit Krista next.)

For my card set, I challenged myself to use a current paper pack in a different way. Can you guess which one it is? I did add Fern and Smoothie for my florals. Did you guess No Worries?   Not a nautical design in sight!  I did use the embellishments from the workshop your way kit: the sequins, the burlap ribbon, and even a few Complements.

All of my cards are based on sketches from Make It From Your Heart, Volume 2. I also used a water brush to color all of the images.  As adorable as those foxes are, I wanted to show how pretty the set was if you did not include them.

Can you see how I popped up the center of the sentiment banner?  I bent it first and then attached the ends with glue dots.  Glue dots also hold the burlap ribbon well!

This card combines a mix of the Complements (hearts) and sequins.

Since those foxes are so cute, I couldn't resist a Hello Foxy card to round out the set.

Thanks for visiting!  Please visit Krista's blog next!

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

Seasonal Expressions 2 New Product Blog Hop

Close To My Heart released the Seasonal Expressions 2 Catalog and Idea Book on May 1, and there is so much fun summer goodness in it!  You're going to get so many great ideas along this blog hop featuring new products from the SE2.  Are you ready?  (If you're already hopping, then you've probably arrived from Jennifer Dykstra's blog.  From here, you'll visit Gina Brandstetter's blog next.)  I decided to focus on the No Worries Workshop Your Way.

When I saw the "relax" and Adirondack chair in the coordinating No Worries complements, I decided that I needed to make a sign.  (I am slowly trying to decorate our basement with a lake theme since we live on a lake.)  All of the cut out pieces were made with  the CTMH/Cricut Flower Market cartridge (sentiments & anchor).  The other pieces are from the complements.

 To make my background, I began by swiping Cashmere pigment ink across the bottom of my 8"x10" canvas panel.  Be sure to swipe the edges also.  Next I did the same thing across the very bottom with Desert Sand ink.

 Then I started at the top swiping Glacier ink (regular dye-based ink and not pigment ink) and then Lagoon, overlapping them and working from lightest to darkest with my colors.

 Finally I added a band of Sapphire to the middle.

WARNING: It took about a week for my canvas to dry!  I probably could have spend up the process, but I didn't have time to work on it then anyway.  I will probably go back and seal the entire piece with mod podge.

To create the nautical knot, I used our new white burlap ribbon (available in the Workshop Your Way or individually) after searching for some instructions.

 Here's a nautical card that I also made using the same basic materials with the addition of silver shimmer trim.  (What?!?  Silver?!?  Learn more HERE.)

Thanks for checking out my Seasonal Expressions 2 No Worries new product showcase.  There is so much to choose from that it was hard to decide what to share!  Please leave a comment before you go visit Gina Brandstetter's blog next.  Thanks!

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

Little Dreamer Blog Hop

Did you know that each month Close To My Heart features a different paper collection?  This month is Little Dreamer, new in the Seasonal Expressions 2 Idea Book.  You'll find some fun ideas with this collection along this blog hop.  (If you're already hopping, then you've probably arrived from Julie's blog.  From here you'll visit Gerri's blog next.)

This paper pack with its whimsical unicorns and rainbows is perfect for little girls, so I wanted to show that you could also use it for your big girls.  Mine are 18 and 15 in these pictures from this past year.

All of the embellishments I used are found in the Little Dreamer Workshop Your Way.  Not only are they a great way to get a complete coordinated product line for your projects, but they also include instructions to create layouts and cards.  (My layout is a 4-3-2 concept layout: one piece is 4" wide, another is 3" wide, and the other is 2" wide.  The 1/2" piece across the bottom is two of the zip strips from the collection.)

The Thistle glitter letters (and all of the shimmer pieces) are part of the Little Dreamer complements.

Here is a card that I have already posted using Little Dreamer paired with the May stamp of the month, Live Laugh Love.  You can read more about it HERE if you're interested in learning more.

Thank you for hopping by!  Be sure to visit everyone on the hop by going to Gerri's blog next!

I'm linking up my layout to the following challenges:

• Scrap Our Stash May Tic Tac Toe Challenge (left column: journal card, yellow, & 3+ patterned paper)
• Color My Heart Color Dare #244 Little Dreamer Colors
• Between the Folds #46 Little Dreamer

Remember, to continue the Little Dreamer hop, go visit GERRI'S BLOG next!

CTMH Technique Blog Hop: Embellishment Envy

Welcome to the May Close To My Heart Technique Blog Hop!  This month we are featuring our amazing embellishments!  (If you're already hopping, then you've arrived from Melissa's blog.  From here, you'll click to visit Judy Faye Garner's blog next.)

When I saw the new No Worries collection, I knew that I had to have it!  The scrapbooking Workshop Your Way is always a great bargain because it includes the paper pack, coordinating card stock, coordinating Complements, and several embellishments.  This collection includes the sequins and white burlap ribbon you see on my card.  To cut the "porthole" and anchor, I used the CTMH/Cricut Flower Market collection.  The anchor was cut at 1-1/2" on sanded Sapphire card stock.  The White Daisy circle was cut at 2" and the Kraft card stock at 2-1/2".  My sentiment is also from the Flower Market collection.

While silver, white, or gold shimmer trim would probably look great with this collection, I wanted a blue to augment the nautical feel.  I grabbed my Marine Blue Shin Han Twin Touch alcohol marker and some silver shimmer trim to create my own custom shimmer trim.  (Those of you who know me know that shimmer trim is my absolute favorite embellishment!)  I cut a piece longer than my card width of 4.25".  Then I held one end down with my finger and used the Marine Blue marker to color the shimmer trim.  I love how it turned out.

Thanks for checking out my card and embellishments.  I try to post to my blog at least once a week, so come back often for new ideas.  Do you have embellishment envy yet?  The great thing about CTMH's embellishments is that they are very reasonably priced.  Please leave me a comment, then click on her name to continue the hop to go see what Judy Faye Garner and the rest of the talented consultants have created!

National Scrapbooking Month Blog Hop

Close To My Heart has several amazingly beautiful offerings this month in honor of National Scrapbooking Month: the Live Beautifully stamp set, paper pack, and Cut Above layout package.  We are featuring these gorgeous, must-have products on this blog hop.  (If you're already hopping, then you've probably arrived from Jennifer Dykstra's blog.  From here, you'll visit Gina Brandstetter next.)

 My daughter's dance recital pictures from last year seemed like the perfect match for the gorgeous Live Beautifully paper collection.  (I did add White Daisy card stock page bases.)  Each of the photos was trimmed down to 3.75" x 5.75" to have the borders you see.

 All of the stamping was done with the Live Beautifully stamp set.  My layout is embellished with black shimmer trim and black dots.  I cut my title with the CTMH/Cricut Artbooking cartridge.

 Next are close ups of our I stamped and cut out the pretty accent flower.  I began by inking up the flower in Pixie, then rolling the stamp edges in Pomegranate, and then rolling the edges again in Eggplant.  After I stamped this image, I highlighted the center of the flower with my gold metallic marker.

 I stamped the same image again by inking up first in Pixie and rolling the edges again in Pomegranate.  I then fussy-cut what I thought would be the next layer of flower petals to give it more dimension.

 My third and fourth layers of petals were stamped with Pixie and cut out.

 The final/fourth layer was just one petal, and I bent it slightly with my finger to give it even more dimension.

Thank you for hopping along the Live Beautifully blog hop.  I'd love a comment before you go see what Gina Brandstetter has created to share and inspire!

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

Finally, I'm linking my layout up to these challenges:

• Color My Heart Color Dare: Live Beautifully
• Heart 2 Heart Challenges: Coming Up Roses
• Always Fun Challenges: For a Female or Mom