H2H Challenges: International Scrapbooking Month

It's May, which means it's time for (Inter)national Scrapbooking Day and Month and our first Heart2Heart Challenge!

I have to show off the Good Vibes National Scrapbooking Day kit!  I made the first page pretty much exactly like the guide but then added my own title block on the flipflap middle element.

The right page is also pretty much identical to the guide, but on the back of the flipflap element I made my own ocean waves.

You can see how I played with both shades of Glacier cardstock.  At first, it was too "flat" (even with the paper tearing "foam" edges) but clear shimmer trim made the cardstock sparkle similar to the water.

Be sure to visit the H2H blog, check out our designers' inspiration, and join us!

May Stamp of the Month: You Can Do Anything

Happy May Day!  Close To My Heart has some amazing specials this month, including the pretty May stamp of the month, You Can Do Anything.  My stamp of the month blog hop group is trying something different, opening up more opportunities for all on Facebook.  You can find us HERE!

I created two almost identical cards with scraps leftover from my Good Vibes National Scrapbooking Day bundle and the May stamp of the month.

For my first card, I used the Sage heart side of the largest strip.  I stamped the sentiment in Sage and Espresso then accented with Espresso birds in flight and wooden flowers (also leftover from the Good Vibes kit).

For the second card, I turned the card and used the Glacier side instead of hearts (but used a scrap as a piece of "washi tape" on the sentiment).  Again, I used Espresso ink and some extra Sundance cardstock.

Find us on Facebook HERE!

April Stamp of the Month Thank You Cards

 Here are two simple thank you cards I made with the April stamp of the month, Message in a Bottle.

I used the In Full Bloom collection and then had fun lightly coloring (tracing) the bottles to add some color.  After coloring the yellow stars, I added Lemonade shimmer brush.

Thank YOU for visiting!

National Scrapbooking Day Blog Hop

Don't let the title fool you!  Today isn't National Scrapbooking Day!  This blog hop is featuring projects made with the cool product bundles available to order NOW to get ready for lots of Close To My Heart fun on Facebook on National Scrapbooking Day.  (If you're already hopping, then you've probably arrived from Darlys's blog.  From here, you'll visit Katy's blog next.)

I made this layout after creating the two layouts from the Good Vibes scrapbooking kit.  I had to add some White Daisy cardstock, but I always have that in stock.  I used my Daisy Alphabet stamp set to create my title piece.  I plan to journal on the other block on the left page.  The stickers and wooden flowers were all "leftovers" from the original kit.  I did fussy cut the camera out of the patterned paper to create that little piece.

Don't be afraid to use the scraps from your projects!  I plan to make some cards with the small pieces that are left.

Please leave a comment before hopping next to Scrappin Katy's blog!

{Click HERE for all the blog hop participants' links.}

Mini Bendy Birthday Cards

The "mini bendy" card style was new to me, so I featured it as my April VIP project for my VIP customers.  (Let me know if you'd like to learn more!  Click HERE for a little info about the perks of being a CTMH VIP.)  

Today, I am sharing two cards that I made in this fun style.  Both use the Cake Day Scrapbooking stamp set and Thin Cuts.  The first one features the Cake Day paper collection.  I stamped my cake image with Lemonade, Green Apple, and Black inks.

Don't you love the dimension of the card?  It will lay flat to mail and then stand up due to the bendy band and the pop-up folds.  Though it doesn't photograph well, I used Lemonade and Green Apple shimmer brushes on the stamped image.

The back features two panels so that you have room to write a message.  I made this card for my mother-in-law for her 85th birthday!

My second card features the same style and stamps but with the In Full Bloom collection.

I used Lemonade, Mint, Lagoon, and Black to stamp the cake. 

I embellished the cake with Gold Stickles, Mint and Lagoon shimmer brushes, silver glitter dots, and silver shimmer trim.

Though this card looks complicated, it isn't too terribly hard to make.  Become a VIP to receive access to monthly exclusive project (retroactive to all that are available)!

H2H Challenges: Anything Goes

Heart 2 Heart Challenges is kicking off the month of April with an "anything goes" challenge!  I decided to share a layout that I made with our Craft with Heart scrapbooking subscription program.  (We offer both cardmaking and scrapbooking subscriptions; learn more HERE.)

In addition to the beautiful layout that you can make with the subscription, I added in a pocket page and additional coordinating cardstock to be able to showcase all of our photos of our visit to Bryce Canyon National Park last summer.  I love how well our products work together!

You can see how I added my stamps and cardstock to stretch this kit a little further!

Be sure to visit the Heart2Heart Challenge blog and join us with "anything goes" in April!

April Stamp of the Month Blog Hop: Message in a Bottle

Happy April Fool's Day!  You won't find any tricks here, just treats, as we showcase the April stamp of the month, Message in a Bottle, on our monthly blog hop.  (If you're already hopping, then you've probably arrived from Darlys's blog.  From here, you'll visit Show and Tell with Michelle next.)

I created two cards using patterns from Make It From Your Heart, Vol. 2, the In Full Bloom paper collection, Intense Black ink, and Liquid Glass (with Black & White Dots as my simple embellishments).

For my first card, I stamped the bottle with Intensive Black ink only Glacier cardstock and then fussy cut it out.  I also stamped the heart stamp in the bottle.  I used one of my aqua Spectrum Noir Tri-Blend markers to add some shading to the heart.  I then applied Liquid Glass over the entire inside of the "bottle."  I love how it literally makes my stamped image look like glass, and I also love how these alcohol-based markers don't bleed!

For my second card, I stamped the bottle on Avocado cardstock and then stamped the note inside.  I stamped the note a second time on the lighter side of a scrap of Avocado cardstock, fussy cut, and then stamped the sentiment inside.

Before applying the Liquid Glass, I colored the cork with my Gold Brown Spectrum Noir Tri-Blend marker.  (I can't express enough how much I love that they don't bleed under the Liquid Glass!  They will bleed through cardstock so be sure to add a layer under your coloring.)

This pretty stamp set has a variety of bottles and sentiments to choose from.

Please leave a comment before continuing the April stamp of the month blog hop by visiting Show and Tell with Michelle next!

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

More of the March Stamp of the Month: One Cool Cat

The cat stamp in the March stamp of the month, You're the G.O.A.T., is absolutely adorable (in my humble opinion)!

I used the Smarty Pants paper pack with Peach and Charcoal ink plus Onyx Liquid Pearls and bitty sparkles.  Who would you send this card to?

More of the March Stamp of the Month: No Lion

This simple card uses 1"x4" strips in Espresso, Mocha, Toffee, and Shortbread.

This color palette is so cute with so many stamps from the March stamp of the month, You're the G.O.A.T.!

H2H Challenges: Hip Hip Hooray!

It's time for another fun Heart2Heart Challenge: Hip Hip Hooray!  I've chosen to share a little birthday fun.

To create the focal image, I cut the base out of White Daisy cardstock using the coordinating Thin Cut.  I inked up the candles in Lemonade and the cake plate in Glacier and then stamped onto the die cut.  After cleaning my stamp, I inked it up in Wild Berry, stamped on scrap cardstock, and then fussy cut the sentiment portion, which I then adhered onto the die cut.  I finished off the card with Wild Berry shimmer trim and Cake Day dots.

Be sure to check out all of our H2H Design Team's project and join us with your own Hip Hip Hooray!

March/April Catalog New Product Blog Hop

Close To My Heart has released yet another fabulous two-month supplemental Idea Book!  This blog hop is featuring new products from the new March/April catalog!  (If you're already hopping, then you've probably arrived from Darlys's blog.  From here,  you'll visit Gina Brandstetter's blog next.)

I wanted to share the Cake Day paper suite and scrapbooking stamp set plus Thin Cuts, which were a great match with pictures from my niece's 21st birthday celebration earlier this year!  I ended up using a sketch from Make It From Your Heart, Vol. 3.

It's hard to tell, but the 1/2" black border strip is actually black shimmer trim.  I used my favorite Daisy Alphabet stamp set for the #21 tag.  I also have a funny picture of the girls under the bottom right photo.  I will use a flip flap to flip up the top photo and add more journaling underneath to tell a little more about our night and to make sure that future generations recognize my brother, his wife, my niece, my sister, my girls, and me.

I had lots of fun creating the B-Day Bash cake.  I inked the candles in Lemonade and the cake stand in black and then stamped the partial images onto the White Daisy Thin Cut outline.  Next, I stamped the center portion of the stamp in Green Apple on scrap White Daisy.  I fussy cut this sentiment then adhered this piece onto the Thin Cut piece.  I stamped the tiny accent stamps from the stamp set in 
Wild Berry and added some Lemonade dots from the matching collection.

I finished off my layout with gold Stickles on the candle flames.

Thanks for letting me share this layout of an amazingly fun evening with you!  Please leave a comment before hopping on to Gina's blog!

March Technique Blog Hop: Creative with Cardstock

With the amazing Close To My Heart Cardstock Carnival Celebration, this month's technique blog hop is featuring are beautiful cardstock.  (If you're already hopping, then you've probably arrived from Lauren's blog.  From here, you'll visit Wendy's blog next.)

I had fun with the (recently retired) Kaleidoscope embossing folder and my circle Thin Cut die cuts to make two 5"x7" cards.  I used the Cake Day color palette as my inspiration: Wild Berry, Lemonade, Glacier, and Green Apple.  I used my For All Occasions stamp set for the sentiment and accented with black bursts.

For my second card, I fussy cut elements from each colored cardstock panel and adhered to my White Daisy base.  After I started outlining some of the circles with a black marker, I'm not sure it was such a great idea, but here we are anyway. LOL  I embellished the card with black enamel dots.

Be sure to take advantage of CTMH's cool Cardstock Carnival special offer this month!  Please leave a comment before you hop on to Wendy's blog next!