April Stamp of the Month Blog Hop: Love So Sweet

The Close To My Heart April stamp of the month, Love So Sweet, is a gorgeous stamp set that you have to have!  Continue along this blog hop to get lots of great ideas highlighting the versatility and beauty of this set, only available this month. {If you're already hopping then you've probably arrived from my sweet friend Becca's blog.  From here, you'll visit Barbara's blog next.}

My card began with embossing the Swiss Dots embossing folder on my Cuttlebug.  I then started stamping the flowers in Sapphire and Sugarplum.  They needed something so I started adding Fern leaves, but they weren't enough so some more Sugarplum and Sapphire small flowers were needed (in first and second generation stamping).  I added the Charcoal sentiment and butterfly to finish the stamping.  (I had planned to add some white ribbon above the embossed band, but it covered up too much of my pretty stamping!)  Instead, I added some gold glitter gems to the sentiment.

To finish my card, I painted my flower centers with my gold shimmer brush and added a gold glitter gem.

I had planned to used that beautiful butterfly on my card, but the flowers ended up taking center stage.  I hope you like what I've created!  Thank you for letting me share my card with you!  I'd love a comment before you hop on over to Barbara's blog to continue the stamp of the month hop.

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

Europe 2016: Day 11

Even though I am trying to work on our photos from our epic adventure in order, sometimes it is just more fun to scrapbook what I'm in the mood for!  On Day 11, we visited Flaam, Norway.

Even though I had been using the So Much Happy collection for our other Norway photos, I decided to use some retired papers that better matched my pictures.  Using the Love of Color guide, I chose the New England Ivy combo with Espresso, Pomegranate, and Goldrush.  I chose layouts from Reflections to pull my photos together easily.

I used some retired Documented kraft cutouts and New England Ivy burlap ribbon to embellish my layout.

I am using a 4"x4" flip flap to add a close up of the beautiful boat houses that fascinated me in port, plus include more in-depth journaling about the day.

 My second layout highlights some photos on board the MSC Opera, our home for the week.  For this page, I used So Much Happy again and a sketch from Make It From Your Heart.

In addition to the So Much Happy complements, I used the coordinating puffy stickers and the March stamp of the month, This Happened.

I really love how easily everything coordinates together.

Thanks for letting me share another day of our amazing trip!

Swiss Dots Embossing Folder Cards

Our new Swiss Dots embossing folder is so beautiful!  I made two completely different cards to show off its versatility.

The first one is a white 4"x5.25" panel that I dry embossed with the folder in my Cuttlebug.  I stamped the sentiment from the current Love Blossoms special offer stamp set (available through the end of March, while supplies last, only) in Pewter ink.  I tied white ribbon around the panel above the "ribbon" embossing, and then used 3D foam tape to adhere the panel to my card base.  Wouldn't this make a pretty bridal thank you?  The bride could even customize the sentiment in her color(s).

My second card uses the same Swiss Dots embossing folder (with Sugarplum card stock), but this time, I embossed it with more blank space than embossed space.  Even though I had thought I would make another side-fold card, I changed my mind and made it a top-fold instead.  All of the patterned paper is from the Feels Like Home collection, paired with the So Much Happy Cardmaking stamp set.  I used Fern, Sugarplum, and Charcoal inks.  If you look closely, you can see how I painted my "pot" with Sugarplum shimmer brush.

Thank you for letting me share two very different takes on the same embossing folder.  If you haven't gotten this folder yet, be sure to put it on your wish list!

So Much Happy Paper Collection Blog Hop

The So Much Happy collection is probably my favorite of this Idea Book (but it's so hard to choose!), so I am thrilled that we're featuring it this month on our blog hop! (If you're already hopping then you've probably arrived from Brittany's blog, and from here you'll visit Julie's blog next.)

I used the I Heart Us workshop to create this layout and modified it to fit my photos.  This layout is Day 8 of our European adventure in 2016.

Do you spot my mistake?  It was Day 8, not 7, so I cut a strip of White Daisy, stamped my title again, and then glued it over the original.  I don't think it's too obvious!  (I didn't go back and take another picture of the corrected double-page layout, however.)

You might be wondering which alphabet set I used.  Any guesses?

It's the cute Letter Board stamp set!  All of the other embellishments are part of the I Heart Us workshop collection.

Here's the completed right page.

I also used the So Much Happy workshop for Day 10 of our trip.

 I used some of the Complements to embellish this layout.

Finally, I used the collection for the title page of the second volume of our European adventure scrapbooks.

Read more HERE if you'd like to know more.

Thank you for letting me share the So Much Happy collection and layouts from our epic adventure.  Please leave a comment before you hop on over to Julie's blog.  Thank you!

Love Blossoms Blog Hop

Have you seen the beautiful current Close To My Heart special workshop, Love Blossoms?  It is a beautiful double stamp set plus a complete 12-card workshop.  My blog hop group decided to feature this special so that you can see how versatile this set really is.  {If you're already hopping, then you've probably arrived from Krista's blog.  From here, you'll visit my friend and fellow Heart 2 Heart designer, Melissa.}

For this hop, I wanted to show a different side of Love Blossoms, so I only used sentiments and not the flowers.  These cards will be mailed to my daughter in college over the next few months.

The first one is going in the mail tomorrow so that she'll have it well before St. Patrick's Day.  I used the So Much Happy collection with the addition of gold shimmer trim.  I inked up the "may your day be" (NOT inking up the "as" at the end) in Lemon and then stamped "lucky" in Clover.  I cut the shamrock from Clover card stock with my CTMH/Cricut Flower Market cartridge.

My second card uses the Something Fierce collection.  After cutting the Thin Cut hearts, I stamped the sentiments in Pewter and Raspberry.  I like the addition of the white enamel dots!

My final card uses the I Heart Us collection.  I stamped the top and bottom sentiments in Pixie and "fabulous" in Raspberry.  To create pink shimmer trim, I used my Shin Han Twin Touch Tender Pink marker to color silver trim.  The cute heart is from the I Heart Us complements.

Thank you for letting me share a variety of fun and easy cards.  Feel free to copy them if you like!  After leaving a comment, go visit Melissa's blog next on the hop!

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

March Stamp of the Month Blog Hop: This Happened

Welcome to the March stamp of the month blog hop with This Happened!  Are you ready for some super fun ideas and inspiration? {If you're already hopping, then you've probably arrived from Wendy's blog.  From here you'll visit Michelle's blog next.}

Since I participate in a monthly stamp of the month card swap with my team, I had the challenge of using this cool set on a card paired with the So Much Happy collection.  I ended up using a sketch from Make It From My Heart, Vol. 1 and the fun sentiment.  Notice how I made my banner tag with one of the stamp and the little heart border too.

I thought adding the Canary dots was a fun touch.

Here are all of the team cards from our swap:

Aren't they cute?  (Sorry that I can't give credit to their creators, but feel free to shout out in the comments if one of them is yours.)

Thanks for hopping by!  After leaving a comment, hop on over to Michelle's blog to continue the This Happened blog hop.

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

I Heart Us Paper Collection Blog Hop

The I Heart Us collection is cheerful and fun!  Be sure to visit each blog on our hop to get some great ideas.  (If you're already hopping then you've probably arrived from Carol's blog, and from here you'll visit Debi's blog next.)

My first card uses the Year of Sweetness stamp set paired with I Heart Us paper and sequins.  I inked up my sentiment in Pixie and then the bottom portion in Raspberry.  For the cupcake, I stamped the wrapper in Mint, the frosting in Canary, and the sprinkles in Lagoon.

My second card uses the February stamp of the month, Heartfelt Sentiments.

Thank you for visiting!  I'd love a comment before you leave.  Now go see what DEBI has created!

Lovely Layers {CTMH Technique Blog Hop}

Lovely Layers is this month's CTMH Technique Blog Hop theme, and it can be interpreted in a variety of ways.  See what our talented consultant group has put together this month by hopping along.  (If you're already hopping then you've probably arrived from Michelle Johns' blog and from here you'll visit Debi McBain's blog next.)

For my "twist" on this technique theme, I am showcasing our fabulous flip flaps.  If you're not familiar with them, flip flaps are plastic pockets (in a variety of sizes) with an adhesive flap.  Any guesses as to where my flip flap layer is?

Here's a hint: it's on the right page.  (I did photograph my layout BEFORE using the flip flap, because the clear plastic glares a lot in photos.)

If you guess "door #6" then you were right!  Speaking of 6, the photo on the outside of the flap is the 6th layer of that stack (so the sticker 6 is the 7th layer?).

Here's a close up of the left page in case you're interested.  Can you tell that I used the Something Fierce collection?  Not a single dinosaur in sight...  (If you'd like to learn more about this layout and my second layout of our day in Berlin, feel free to click HERE.  If you'd like to see what I've scrapbooked so far from this adventure, click the Europe 2016 tab at the top.)  If not, I'd love a comment before you hop on over to Debi's blog to continue the Lovely Layers Technique Blog Hop.

February Stamp of the Month Valentine Cards

Happy Valentine's Day!  I had a great time using the February stamp of the month, Heartfelt Sentiments, to create Valentine cards for my three loves.

My first card got mailed Monday to our daughter in college.  I stamped the large sentiment stamp on a 4"x5.25" White Daisy panel with black ink.  I also stamped the banner portion of the stamp onto a piece of Candy Apple card stock and then cut out the banner.

Can you see how I colored the sentiment with Red and Black shimmer brushes?  This panel was glued to a piece of Candy Apple card stock and then mounted onto the front of my card.  White enamel gems completed it.

My second card, for my husband, is similar to the first but similar.  I used the red shimmer brush on this one and added a puffy heart from the So Much Happy collection.

My third and final card is for our younger daughter.  I love this piece of Sapphire with Lagoon hearts from the So Much Happy collection and knew it would be perfect for her card.  I stamped the sentiment panel in Sapphire and then the banner with Lagoon ink.  I colored the sentiment with Marine Blue and Peacock Blue Shin-Han Twin Touch markers, and the flowers with Turquoise and Vivid Green.  I also used my mint shimmer brush on the sentiment and some of the flowers.  (It is really hard to photograph the shimmer brushes!)

Do you like the aqua gems?  They are clear sparkles colored with the Turquoise Shin-Han Twin Touch marker!

Happy Valentine's Day to you and yours!

February Stamp of the Month Blog Hop: Heartfelt Sentiments

The Close To My Heart February stamp of the month, Heartfelt Sentiments, is absolutely gorgeous!  I'm really looking forward to playing with it this month- and beyond.  You're going to see many creative ideas along our stamp of the month blog hop.  (If you're already hopping then you've probably arrived from Jayma's blog.  From here you'll click on her name to visit Gina's blog next.)

The fun colors and patterns of the I Heart Us collection made me want to make a rainbow card.  I love this tile pattern from Make It From Your Heart, Vol. 1.  I also wanted to show how you could use this stamp set on a card.  Do you see the four stamped tiles that I made?  I clustered the small flowers and polka dot stamp onto my 2" block to stamp on each 1.25" square.

I stamped the cluster in Pixie, Canary, Lagoon, and Thistle to create my stamped tiles.  I stamped the banner in Carolina and the sentiment in Black.  I fussy cut the banner to go across the card and then sprinkled on a few I Heart Us sequins.

I think this card is going to send a lot of cheer to its recipients!  I'd love a comment before you hop over to Gina's blog.  Thanks for stopping by!  I'm so blessed to know YOU.

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