National Papercrafting Month: All Around Creativity

Close To My Heart is offering not 4 but FIVE versions (the 5th one just announced!) of a really pretty home decor project, All Around Creativity, through the end of February.  Here's my version:

I added the Sangria card stock, ribbon, ink, and adhesive, but everything else came right out of the kit.

I ended up only using one small flower (edges sponged with Sangria).  I added a Sangria hole punch circle to the center and then added Liquid Glass to give it some shine.  I did use every single piece of greenery.  (Some of the single leaves are attached to the back and just peek through.)

My letters are cut at 2-1/2" from the CTMH/Cricut Artbooking cartridge.  The heart is from Flower Market, and I've already forgotten what size it was.  (My first one was too big, but I'll use it for something else.)

If you'd like to see the other options or order a kit for yourself, please visit my website HERE (only available through the end of February). Thanks for letting me share my take on this project with you.  Mine is already hanging on our wall!  If you order one and need any help, just let me know!  I recommend Liquid Glass to adhere everything.

More Everyday Magic, January's Stamp of the Month

Here is a quick card that I made as a thank you using the January stamp of the month, Everyday Magic, paired with the Celebrate Today paper pack.

To ink the sentiment, I inked up the entire stamp with Mint, then the bottom 2/3 in Lagoon, and finally the bottom 1/3 in Bluebird.  (Looking at it now against the floral background, I think next time I'll try Lemonade, Lagoon, and Bluebird since there's so much yellow on the floral print.)  No matter what, I think it's a pretty cheerful card that will brighten the recipients' day.

The next set of cards were all made by my teammates.  Unfortunately, I can't give credit to the original artists because most are unsigned, but I wanted to share their fabulous ideas with you instead of keeping them to myself.

This lovely set of sentiments is only available until the end of the month!  Get yours before time's up!

H2H Challenges: Spruced Up

Not going to lie, Spruced Up is a big hit in my opinion!  It was super easy for me to participate in this week's Heart2Heart challenge!

Here are pictures of my daughter, husband, and I hiking a section of the Appalachian Trail early last yaer.

Here is the view from Neel's Gap/Mountain Crossing plus the Spruced Up Cardmaking stamp set and Thin Cuts.

The chickadee was stamped in Black, and the evergreen sprigs are stamped in Espresso and New England Ivy.

Because I had so many photos of the hike, I ended up creating a collage with three of them to maximize the space on my layout.

I also used flip flaps to incorporate all of my pictures.

Be sure to visit the H2H blog to see how our designers interpreted the Spruced up challenge and participate yourself!

New Product Blog Hop: January-February 2020

Is your new year off to a great start?  I'm really excited about all of the possibilities of 2020!  If you haven't yet browsed the CTMH January-February Idea Book, what are you waiting for?  Some of my consultant friends and I have joined together to showcase some of our favorites from this special edition.  (If you're already hopping then you've probably arrived from Darlys's blog.  From here, you'll visit Danielle next.)

The Spruced Up collection captured my heart immediately!  Here are our pictures from selecting our Christmas tree this year (2019).

The instructions make the layouts come together so quickly! 

 I used Liquid Glass to adhere all of the wooden pieces.

All of these gorgeous wooden pieces are included in the collection.

 Because I wanted to include 5 instead of 3 photos, I added pictures with flip flaps.

Thank you for hopping by!  Please leave a comment before hopping off to Danielle's blog to continue the circle of new products and fabulous creations.

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

CTMH Technique Blog Hop: Terrific Treats

Even though the holidays are behind us, we always have events to celebrate, right?  Or how about just brightening a friend or co-worker's day?  Join me and fellow consultants on this "Terrific Treats" blog hop.  (If you're already hopping then you've probably arrived from Darlys's blog.  From here, you'll visit Cat's blog next.)

My first pocket had the floral on the outside, so you see more of the stripes.  (The black heart band is one of the zip strips, trimmed to fit.)  My second try used the stripes on the outside and shows more of the floral (with a pretty white ribbon bow).

This fun little pocket is made of a 6"x6" piece of patterned paper from the Celebrate Today collection.  To make, fold in half on the diagonal to make a triangle.  Then fold the left side over to the right (parallel to the bottom), and then the right wide over to the left (also parallel).  Then fold down the front top flap.

This pocket has a delicious Andes mints tucked into it.  You could easily add a little note too.

My third one uses a 9"x9" square of Spruced Up B&T and some Sangria ribbon.  (I forgot to take a picture before adding this delicious tea bag, but you can see what it looks like before, below.)

The left version started with a 9"x9" square and measures about 5"x6.5".  The second one started with a 6"x6" square and measures about 3.5"x4.25".

Thank you for hopping by!  Please leave a comment before hopping off to Cat's blog to continue the circle of new products and fabulous creations.

Stamp of the Month Blog Hop: Everyday Magic

Happy New Year!  Can you believe it's 2020 already?!?  Close To My Heart is kicking off the new year with a lovely stamp of the month, Everyday Magic, paired with the new Spruced Up collection.  (If you're already hopping then you've arrived from Alyson's blog. From here you'll visit Brandi next!)

This stamp of the month has many lovely sentiments, and I chose an uplifting one for this card.  I inked the sentiment in Julep and then rolled the bottom edge in Sangria before stamping.  The pretty flourish is stamped in Espresso.  The sentiment mat is Sangria B&T and Julep glitter paper with Sangria ribbon as an accent.

Which sentiment will you use first?  Aren't they all fabulous?

Remember today and always that you are all kinds of amazing!  Please leave a comment before visiting Brandi next!

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

CTMH Technique Blog Hop: Season to Sparkle

This time of year is definitely a season to sparkle!  Join us on this technique blog hop to sparkle and shine. (If you're already hopping, then you've probably arrived from Michelle Loncar's blog.  From here, you'll visit Darlys Recker's blog next.)

For my card, I knew that I wanted to try to create a wreath from the pine bough stamp in the December stamp of the month, Reindeer Crossing.  It took a little trial and error, but a 3.75" square base provided the perfect size to stamp the bough 6 times to make a circle.

To me the wreath is pretty rustic, so I enhanced it first by coloring the pine cones, the stems, and a few of the little limbs with my watercolor pencils.  I went back and used my gold shimmer brush to paint the pine cones.  (It is REALLY hard to photograph that shimmer!  Hopefully you can see it in the photos above and below.)

I created a simple bow with white & gold ribbon and added gold glitter gems to highlight the wreath and sentiment (which I had gold heat embossed on the Evergreen base).

In case you missed it, here is another really sparkly card that I made using the December stamp of the month.  (You can learn more HERE.)  All of my paper for both cards is from the Cedar and Pine collection.

Thanks for letting me share some sparkle with you this season.  May your holidays be blessed with peace and love!  I'd love a comment before you hop on over to Darlys Recker's blog next!

Stamp of the Month Blog Hop: Reindeer Crossing

Welcome to the December Close To My Heart stamp of the month, Reindeer Crossing, blog hop!  It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas, although I can't believe that December is here already!!!  (If you're already hopping, then you've probably arrived from Katy Taylor's blog.  From here, you'll visit Lauren Moore's blog next.)

Both of my cards feature the pair of deer and the Cedar and Pine collection.  For this card, I tore White Daisy cardstock to create my snow drifts, making sure the middle piece was large enough on the right side to stamp the deer in black.  After gluing the three pieces together, I painted the background with my clear shimmer brush and then added Diamond Stickles to the torn edges.

The card base is Charcoal cardstock that I brushed Charcoal Shimmer Brush across (back and forth a few times) to mimic a starry night sky.  I stamped the sentiment in Candy Apple.  For the pine bough, I stamped it in Black on Evergreen and on Toffee, fussy cutting the bough and then the pine cones.  Hopefully the Diamond Stickles look like snow?  I added a pair of clear sparkles to highlight the sentiment.

Hopefully in this photo you can see the clear shimmer brush snow.  The Diamond Stickles photograph very well!

My second card features the same reindeer pair and a  a pretty sketch from Make It From Your Heart, Vol. 4.  After assembling, I added the sprays of pine in Evergreen behind the sentiment banner and a few gold glitter gems.

It's hard to see in the photograph, but I brushed clear shimmer under the deer to resemble snow.

Thanks for visiting!  I hope that my cards have inspired you, especially to add some sparkle with shimmer brushes and/or stickles.  Be sure to leave a comment and then continue on to Lauren's blog.  Visit all 17 consultants' blogs to get you into the holiday spirit!

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

Best Friends Furever Blog Hop

Close To My Heart has a purr-fectly wonderful pet collection on sale right now, and I've joined some of my favorite CTMH consultants to share ideas with this special with you!  (If you're already hopping, then you've probably arrived from the talented Katy Taylor's blog.  From here, you'll visit Darlys's blog next.)  You can learn more about the Best Friends Furever special if you don't already have a consultant.

In June, my husband found and rescued this tiny kitten who was literally on the brink of death (it was laying by its deceased sibling with no mama and no water in sight!).  While I did not want another dependent, this kitty sure has helped to fill a void in our new empty nest.

I let my pictures dictate my layout sketch, and I used the Best Friends Furever paper pack, the Kitty Cuddles stamp set, and even the Eat Play Love (dog) stamp set!

I embellished my layout with black enamel dots and black and white striped bows from the Cedar and Pine collection.

Feel free to comment on how adorable Jelly Bean was (and still is!) and even my layout before heading on to visit Darlys's blog next!

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

November Technique Blog Hop: Paper Layering

Welcome to the November Technique Blog Hop featuring paper layering!  You'll get lots of great ideas just by clicking from one blog to the next.  (If you're already hopping then you've probably arrived from the talented Michelle Loncar's blog.  From here, you'll visit Arty Maz next.)

I knew that I wanted to make a fancy fold card to incorporate multiple layers, and I decided to create an easy double gate fold card using the Cedar and Pines collection and the November stamp of the month, Family Time.

To create the card base, I started with a piece of 5.5"x12" Cedar and Pine patterned paper.  I scored the paper at 2", 4", 8", and 10", then folded to create the gate fold.  Finally, on the top outside corners, cut off triangles from the fold to 2.75".  Attach the cut off triangles to the bottom of the front card flap.

Both the circles (cut with Thin Cuts) and the inside panels use Candy Apple and White Daisy card stock.  I intentionally left the inside blank but will probably stamp a Christmas sentiment before I send this card to a dear friend.

On the White Daisy circle, I stamped the leafy spray in Toffee and then added leaves (1st and 2nd generation stamping) in Evergreen.  I used 3D foam tape to attach the flower (stamped in Peach, Candy Apple, and Black).  I think it should have been a little lower, but it was stuck very well so I left it!  I added in Gold & White ribbon and gold glitter gems to finish off the card.

The flower is the 8th paper layer on this card, so I think I met the technique challenge.  I'd love for you to leave a comment before you click on her name to hop on over to see Arty Maz's blog!  (Also, let me know in the comments if you have any questions.)