12 for '12: July and August

Studio J to the rescue!  This online scrapbooking program makes it so easy for me to upload my favorite photos from the month and then create a layout- while the memories are still fresh.

For July, Clementine seems like a fun mix and worked well with all my mismatched photos.  We celebrated my parents' and our anniversaries, camped in Pigeon Forge, played at Splash Country and Dollywood, and attended Logan's family reunion.  Can you see one of my jars of refrigerator pickles?  They were delicious!

August's base is the pretty new Avonlea collection.  It's maybe a little too fancy for my pictures, but I just love this pretty paper!  We started school and had fun celebrating some birthdays last month.

 

Here's hoping your September is going well and that you're taking photos as you live your life!  I've got to remember to take the camera to tonight's football game. ;)

H2H Challenges: Bigger is Better!

At Heart 2 Heart Challenges, we've got a BIG challenge for you: create a BIG card, or at least bigger than the standard 4.25"x5.5".  One of my favorite big sizes is the 8"x3.5" size, because you can easily make two from one sheet of cardstock.  Rather than cut my own, however, I started with one of Close To My Heart's pretty Colonial White die cut card bases.  (You get 10 scalloped cards and envelopes for only $6.95.)

My new Jardin stamp set was begging for some ink, s'il vous plait, so I inked two of the larger images up in Blush, Smokey Plum, and Black. 

Are you decorating the insides of your cards too?  It takes very little extra effort to add a little something special to your cards.

Here are a few close ups of the stamping.  I added some Silver Glitter Glitz Gel to the butterfly's body.  After stamping and cutting out the bow, I added a smokey gray sparkle from the black sparkles collection.  Can you see where I added a piece of black tulle ribbon?

 

Now it's your turn to create and show off a BIG card.  If you need more inspiration, visit the H2H blog to check our DT samples.  Then, link up your BIG card.  I'll see you there!

 

All supplies from CTMH: Jardin stamp set; Colonial White Die Cut cards; La Belle Vie paper pack; Black, Blush, and Smokey Plum ink; black tulle ribbon; black sparkes; silver glitter glitz gel

New Product Artwork: Scholastic

*All this week, I'm featuring NEW artwork from all of Close To My Heart's NEW paper collections! Be sure to visit each day to check out what's new.

Last but not least is our final new CTMH paper collection, Scholastic.  Not only is it perfect for back to school, but think of all those school memories and photos you still have to scrapbook!  How about something special for the book lovers in your life?  Here's what the CTMH Art Studio has to share:

 The layout, below, uses the Scholastic Scrapbooking WOTG.

My layout uses the cool C1521 Approved stamp set.

 Joanne Coleman made this adorable post-it note holder with the Scholastic WOTG kit.

Carol Gomes made this cool window card with the A1131 Love stamp set and Ruby cardstock and ink.  The heart spins around when you open the card!

New Product Artwork: Pear & Partridge

*All this week, I'm featuring NEW artwork from all of Close To My Heart's NEW paper collections! Be sure to visit each day to check out what's new.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!  Pear and Partridge will surely see you through your holiday needs this year!  With its neutral palette, however, you can really extend this kit beyond the holiday season.

 Above is the Pear and Partridge Scrapbooking WOTG kit, and below is the Card Making WOTG kit.  (The card kit will definitely be offered as a workshop this fall!)

 How would you like to create your own Advent countdown calendar box?  The Workshop on the Go has everything you need except your basic tools!

Here's some more festive artwork from my talented swappers (clockwise from top left): C1520 Christmas Joy by Karen Hoffman; C1506 Flakey Friends snowglobe card by Linda Wentz; C1510 Merry & Bright by Georgia Hauglid; B1412 Perfect Fit- Holidays by Bobbie Markley; G1052 Pear and Partridge Scrapbooking WOTG by Brigetta Giles

 C1520 Monogram stamp Christmas tree box by Georgia Hauglid

New Product Artwork: Moonlight

*All this week, I'm featuring NEW artwork from all of Close To My Heart's NEW paper collections! Be sure to visit each day to check out what's new.

Here is the spook-tacular Halloween paper collection, Moonlight!

My talented swappers continued the Halloween theme, but Moonlight can really be oh-so-much more!  C1509 Magic Potions Artiste milk card by Miyuki Williams; B1413 Perfect Fit- Halloween Holiday by Terri Harden; G1051 Moonlight Scrapbooking WOTG by Dawn Ross; C1522 Creepy Creatures by Laurie Tuma

Bwah-ha-ha-ha-ha!

New Product Artwork: La Belle Vie

*All this week, I'm featuring NEW artwork from all of Close To My Heart's NEW paper collections! Be sure to visit each day to check out what's new.

You've seen me feature La Belle Vie several times already because I love it so much!  The beautiful home decor (above) and layout (left) were created by the CTMH Art Studio.  The layout and stamp set are exclusive to the La Belle Vie Scrapbooking WOTG kit.  Here is a card that I made using the same kit:

And more from my swap group (clockwise from top left): A1132 Family by Miyuki Williams; C1511 Love Blooms by Patricia Ervin; G1048 La Belle Vie Scrapbooking WOTG by Yours Truly; B1414 Bonjour luggage tags by Michelle Giovo; and C1505 Pun Fun by Shellie Sauvie

New Product Artwork: Flirty

*All this week, I'm featuring NEW artwork from all of Close To My Heart's NEW paper collections! Be sure to visit each day to check out what's new.

Are you ready for some Flirty fun?  This paper collection definitely lives up to its name!  How would you like to make this beautiful home decor, either with Flirty or another palette that matches your home?  Isn't the Scrapbooking WOTG kit fun?

 

Here are our talented swappers showing off their fun side, clockwise from top left:

C1523 Outta This World by Laurie Tuma; D1529 Artiste Collection Birthday (purse) by Karen Hollis; and D1525 Casual Expressions by Emily Carter 

 Here's a more serious, fall side of Flirty: A1130 Boutiful Season by Michelle Giovo and G1050 Flirty Scrapbooking WOTG by Alona Peters



New Product Artwork: Dakota

*All this week, I'm featuring NEW artwork from all of Close To My Heart's NEW paper collections! Be sure to visit each day to check out what's new.

OK, pardner, it's time to get some giddy up in your craftin'!  Here's the Dakota paper pack collection, first from the CTMH Art Studio:

 Here is the scrapbooking WOTG:

And now our talented swappers:
Clockwise: G1403 Pear & Partridge WOTG set by Maria Woodworth; D1523 Sweet Music by Peggy Powers; and G1407 Dakota Scrapbooking WOTG by Bobbie Markley

New Product Artwork: Clementine

*All this week, I'm featuring NEW artwork from all of Close To My Heart's NEW paper collections! Be sure to visit each day to check out what's new.

You've already seen several of my creations with my darlin' Clementine, so here's a look at what the CTMH Art Studio has been up to:

 This one is the Clementine Workshop on the Go Scrapbooking kit creation.

Now let's see what my talented swap group made for your viewing pleasure.
Clockwise from top left: G1046 Clementine Scrapbooking WOTG kit by Karen Hoffman; D1528 Jardin by Linda Wentz; B1410 A Friend Like You by Emily Carter; C1529 Scroll Album WOTG by Joanne Coleman

 B1405 Buttons, Bits, and Bobs Flair by Terri Harden; B1404 A Cup of Cheer by Shelly Allen; C1504 Fall Harvest, also by Shelly Allen

New Product Artwork: Avonlea

*All this week, I'm featuring NEW artwork from all of Close To My Heart's NEW paper collections!  Be sure to visit each day to check out what's new.

The first paper pack I'm featuring is the beautiful Avonlea collection.  You find it on the cover of the Autumn/Winter 2012 Idea book.  With its cool greens, blues, and grays, this paper is so versatile for a multitude of projects!  (These first few photos are of artwork created by CTMH's Art Studio.)  We have two special Workshop on the Go kits for Avonlea: a card-making kit (complete with its own embellishments and stamp set) and a scrapbooking kit (also with its own embellishments and stamp set.)

 

 

Here are some fun "stamples" I received from a recent swap.  (I didn't create any of this artwork.) 

Clockwise from left: B1406 Blessings of Peace stamp set by Peggy Powers; G1045 Avonlea Scrapbooking WOTG by Brigetta Giles; and C1506 Angelic Blessings by Shellie Sauvie

Pegg's card opened

Brigetta's card opened 1...

...and 2

Shellie's card open to show one of the fun cuts that the CTMH Cricut Artiste cartridge will make!

Clockwise from top left: D1531 Artiste Collection Word Balloons by Maria Woodworth; B1409 Pirouette notebook by Alona Peters; G1401 Avonlea Card Making WOTG by Dawn Ross; and D1526 Family Tree swing card by Patricia Ervin

Patricia's card opened

More from CTMH:

September Stamp of the Month Blog Hop: Fall Favorites

Can you believe it's time for the September stamp of the month blog hop?  Even if it still feels like summer, our thoughts are turning to fall and this cute set, Fall Favorites.  (If you're already hopping, then you should have arrived here from Melinda Everitt's blog.  Hopping is easy; once you're ready to leave here, you'll go check out Krista Ritskes' blog.)

The Clementine paper pack seemed like the perfect pairing with the Fall Favorites stamp set, and I love how they work with my photos.  This beautiful sketch is from the new Make It From Your Heart, Vol. 1 magazine.  If you're a scrapper and card maker, you're going to want this guide.  Best of all, it's only $7.95!

You can see the stamping better here on this close up of the left page:  After stamping the "fall" sentiment, I inked up "Favorites" only from the tag to stamp beside it.  Also, I repeatedly stamped the outline stamp to make a border along the bottom.

On the right page, I continued the border and then stamped the other sentiment and the pumpkin.  I used a combo of inks and markers with a blending pen to color the pumpkins.

Aren't my pumpkins sweet?  We are so blessed that the girls' cousins all live nearby!  If you'd like to create your own version of this layout, make plans now to attend my scrap class on Sunday, 9/23!  You'll be able to customize your layout for summer or fall.  Let me show you how!

If you have time, I'd love to know that you stopped by!  Now go see what Krista created!

All supplies from Close To My Heart: Fall Favorites (September 2012 stamp of the month; Clementine paper pack; Colonial White card stock; Sorbet, Saddle, and Cashmere inks; Sorbet, Twilight, and Garden Green (retired) markers; blending pen; burlap ribbon; chocolate stripe grosgrain ribbon; Milestone corrugated shapes; Durables Square Studs

More August Stamp of the Month

You are quickly running out of time to get the beautiful August stamp of the month, Baroque Borders!  For these two 3"x6" cards, I stamped one of the corner flourishes in the center, then flipped it over to stamp on either side to create this pretty pattern.  How do you like our new Ruby color?

I used my new Monogram "H" stamp for the medallions.  (They are available in every letter for only $2.95 each!)  I used two of our new pearl badge buttons to accent the card.

 

Here's the same card but instead of my monogram, I used the flower from the Bohemian Alphabet set with a new black sparkle in the center.

The August stamp of the month is only available for a few more hours, so get yours HERE.