Seasonal Expression 2 New Product Blog Hop

Have you browsed the 2018 Close To My Heart Seasonal Expressions 2 Idea Book?  This supplement has four wonderful paper collections and many new stamp sets for your papercrafting needs!  This blog hop will feature our consultants' favorites from this Idea Book. (If you're already hopping then you've probably arrived from Alyson's blog.  From here, you'll visit Michelle's blog next.)

This layout uses the Beautiful Friendship collection to celebrate my younger daughter's 17th birthday last month!  Don't you love this banner paper?

 Macey said that the banners were "too flat," so I added Pearls and Gray Gems to spice them up.  I also used a pretty Beautiful Friendship bow to accent the "Make a Wish" journaling card.

For the right page, I used another journaling card to document "birthday season."

Next up is a layout to commemorate my daughter's sweet graduation tea.  (Thank you, Aunt Joy!!)

In addition to the Beautiful Friendship paper pack collection, my layout also includes the Beautiful Friendship Cardmaking & Thin Cuts set.

The Seasonal Expressions 2 has so many great collections, you are going to want to get one each month while they are available!  Thanks for letting my share my Beautiful Friendship projects with you!  Happy National Scrapbooking Month!  I would love for you to leave a comment before you head on to Michelle's blog next to continue the hop!

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

Lovely Layers (CTMH Technique Blog Hop)

Layers make every crafting project lovely!  Whether you're layering tons of pretty paper or layering your images, you're bound to love your projects more with more layers.  To add some ideas to your tool box, be sure to continue along this Lovely Layers technique blog hop.  (If you're already hopping, then you've probably arrived from Rebecca's blog.  From here you'll visit Annemarie next.)

My Mother's Day card for my mom combines two stamp sets, the current May stamp of the month Classic Summer Bash and the recently retired Chelsea Gardens Scrapbooking stamp set.  (Almost any floral could be used.)  I stamped the jar with Sapphire ink and then filled it by stamping the leaves from Chelsea Gardens in Juniper and Willow.

To continue my layering, I stamped the flower in Bashful with the edges rolled in Smoothie.  The center section is Canary.  I fussy cut out the flower and then added it over all the foliage with 3-D foam tape.  Notice that I also layered some Juniper leaves under my flower for more dimension.  Finally, I sponged Crystal Blue "water" in my jar and extended some of the stems with my Sap Green Shin-Han Twin Touch marker.

Thank you for visiting and checking out my Lovely Layers!  Be sure to check out how all of our creative consultants have interpreted the Lovely Layers Technique Blog Hop challenge.  Visit ANNEMARIE'S BLOG next!

National Scrapbooking Month Postcard Perfect Blog Hop

Welcome to the National Scrapbooking Month Postcard Perfect Blog Hop!  (If you're already hopping then you've probably arrived from Gina's blog.  From here, you'll visit Kirsten's blog next.)  Close To My Heart has the most amazing collection available this month only!  You can get a gorgeous paper pack, coordinating cardstock, stamp set, Cut Above Layouts collection, and even an album separately or all bundled together.  (You can read more about it HERE.)  Of course I had to have it all!

This paper was a great match for my photos from Day 12 from our 2016 trip to Europe.  It was our final day aboard the MSC Opera. 

My layout is based loosely on a sketch from Cherish (now retired).  It can be hard to fit 8 photos on one layout, especially when you don't want to trim them down very much.  For my title, I stamped The North Sea with Peacock ink using the Bistro Alphabet stamp set.  The floral circle is from a sheet of cutout artwork that comes with the Postcard Perfect paper pack.

To embellish my layout, I used gold shimmer trim, gold gems, and Beautiful Friendship bows.

My final project (for now) is this quick & easy card based on a sketch from Make It From Your Heart, Vol. 4.  I inked my sentiment in Sea Glass (retired) and then inked the Adventure portion with Peacock before stamping.  Smoothie & Willow are my flower and leaf ink choices.  I used a few Bashful pearls too.

Be sure to come back often, because I will have many more projects with this collection, especially an upcoming cruise in honor of my parents' 50th wedding anniversary this summer.  Thank you for hopping by!  I'd love a comment before you head off to see what Kreative Kirsten has to share with you!  Be sure to click on each person's name to go to the next blog along the hop.  You don't want to miss any of the great ideas shared with this amazing collection!

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

May Stamp of the Month: Classic Summer Bash

Welcome to the May stamp of the month blog hop featuring Classic Summer Bash!  I don't know about you, but I am soooo ready for summer!  You're going to see so many great ideas for this stamp set that will have you earning to kick off summer too.  (If you're already hopping then you've probably arrived from Jen's blog.  From here, you'll visit Katy's blog next.)

This delicious card uses the new Beautiful Friendship collection and a sketch from Make It From Your Heart, Vol. 4.  The stamped panel is all one piece and actually started out much larger.  I stamped the jar with Sapphire ink, then stamped the lemon slice with Canary on the "edge" of the jar, and finally the straw in Smoothie "leaning" against the edge of the jar mouth.  Next, I used my paper trimmer to PARTIALLY cut this panel to size.  I made sure not to slice off the top of the lemon nor the straw from the piece of card stock.  I then fussy cut around the straw and the lemon.

To create the "lemonade," I first cut out a mask of the center of the jar.  I used my paper trimmer to cut where I wanted the top of the lemonade to be.  I placed my mask over the stamped jar and then sponged Canary ink in the opening.  The last step was to stamp a few ice cubes (also in Canary) floating on top.  A Beautiful Friendship bow completed the card.

Are you ready for more Classic Summer Bash ideas?  Please leave a comment before hopping on off to visit Katy's blog!

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

Featured Paper Blog Hop: Gimme Some Sugar

The April featured paper blog hop is showcasing the Gimme Some Sugar collection!  (If you're already hopping, then you've probably arrived from Kara's blog.  From here, you'll visit Shirley's blog next.)  I have had so much fun with this paper pack!

This layout my daughter's budding cooking skills (with complete details HERE).

Gimme Some Sugar and March's stamp of the month Birthday Bash (more details HERE).

This card features vellum and the pretty Peacock-trimmed white ribbon (with more details HERE).

Gimme Some Sugar paired with the Be-YOU-tiful Picture My Life cards (ABOVE and BELOW).

Hopefully my projects help show how versatile the Gimme Some Sugar collection is!  I'd love a comment before you hop on over to visit Shirley's blog next!

Picture My Life Hop

Pocket scrapbooking is such a cool concept that Close To My Heart is offering Picture My Life cards in all of its paper collections, plus you can buy packs of cards (and coordinating page protectors).  You're going to find lots of great ideas for using Picture My Life cards on this blog hop!  (If you're already hopping, then you've probably arrived from Jen's blog.  From here, you'll visit Melissa's blog next.)

My first project will go an in 8"x10" picture frame and will be given to some friends who have an adorable, almost-seven-year-old daughter.  This PML card from the Be-YOU-tiful set suits her so much!  I paired it with pieces of the Gimme Some Sugar collection, Peacock card stock (to offset Norah's gorgeous red hair) and pink pearls in honor of her June birthday.

This PML Be-YOU-tiful project is a 6"x8" sign (using a My Everyday Life page protector) that is hanging in my closet.  (Read all about it HERE.)

My final project is a set of cards using the PML cards from the Make Waves collection and the Southern Sass stamp set.  (Read more about this set HERE.)

Picture My Life cards are so versatile!  Use them in any of your papercrafting projects!  I'd love for you to leave a comment before you hop on over to Melissa's blog next!  Thank you!

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

CTMH Technique Blog Hop: Creative with Cards

Are you familiar with pocket scrapbooking and/or Close To My Heart's Picture My Life cards?  The cards are sold sets of 4"x6" and 3"x4" cards that you can incorporate into your scrapbooking or really any type of papercrafting project.  You also now get two sheets of cards in every paper pack (that you cut apart yourself.)  You're going to see lots of creative ways to use these fun pieces of ready-made art along this month's technique blog hop.  (If you're already hopping then you've probably arrived from Melissa's blog.  From here, you'll visit Debi's blog next.)

I decided to use this sentiment card from the Be-YOU-tiful Picture My Life collection to make a sign for my closet.  The pretty white stripes are actually one of the clear Picture My Life Overlays- White Frames.  To hold the clear overlay on the project, I added the white gems on three of the corners and then used a glue dot underneath each one.  (The fourth corner got a cutout from the Gimme Some Sugar paper).  I layered the sentiment panel onto a mat and base of Gimme Some Sugar paper.

I strategically made this project to measure 6"x8" to fit into an Everyday Life page protector "frame."  A little Juniper twine from the Whimsy ribbon collection lets this "picture" hang from a command hook.

I hope you like my little project.  I'd love to know what you think before you head off to see how DEBI is getting Creative with Cards!  (Just click on her name to hop on over.)  Thanks for hopping by!

H2H Challenges: Birthday Bash

No fooling, the first April Heart2Heart Challenge is Birthday Bash!  You don't have to have the March stamp of the month to join this challenge.  (By the way, did you know that your consultant can order a previous month's special through the 5th of the following month while supplies last?)

I made this stair card to celebrate a special friend's 60th birthday.  I used March stamp of the month, Birthday Bash, paired with the Gimme Some Sugar collection.

Here is a side view of this card and its elements.

These balloons were cut with the CTMH/Cricut Artistry collection with Juniper cardstock and Bashful glitter paper.

More Bashful glitter paper...

The gold shimmer brush really makes Tangerine ink POP!

If you look closely, you can see how the gold shimmer brush highlights "happy" in the Peacock sentiment.

Because this card wasn't a "typical" size, I created an envelope with matching B&T paper.

Be sure to check out all of the H2H Designers' "Birthday Bash" inspiration and join us!  You have all month to join any of the April challenges!

April Stamp of the Month Blog Hop: Color Your Life

Welcome to the April stamp of the month, Color My Life, blog hop! (If you're already hopping then you've probably arrived from Brenda's blog.  From here you'll head to Krista's blog for another great project.  Continue hopping from consultant to consultant for lots of great ideas!)

My project is an 8x10 sign that I am going to post in my classroom.  It is inspired by the book Wonder that I read with my 4th graders at the beginning of the year (and we were fortunate to get to go see the movie together!).  If you haven't read this book, then I highly encourage you to do so!  Because the main character, Auggie, is a huge fan of outer space, I chose to use the Star Gazer collection for my project with the April stamp of the month.

I used Pacifica ink to stamp "have" with a rainbow technique of first and second generation.  I stamped "courage" and "kind" with Archival Black so that I could color them more easily.  The arrow is stamped with Pewter ink.  I stamped "and be" with Canary and Poppy inks.

To color "courage," I first used my waterbrush and Pacifica inks to lightly watercolor each letter.  I then filled in the details with my Marina Shin-Han Twin Touch marker and Sapphire ink with my waterbrush.  For "kind" I used the same techniques with Canary and Poppy inks and Golden Yellow, Marigold, and Carmine Shin-Han Twin Touch markers.  I finished off this sign with Stargazer gems, Whisper thick twine, and blue burlap ribbon.

Thanks for hopping by!  Please leave a comment before heading off to Krista's blog to continue the hop!

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

H2H Challenges: Rainbows

This week's Heart2Heart Challenge is rainbows!  I decided to try a softer take using the Whimsy collection.

From top to bottom, the colors (from the Whimsy Fundamentals collection) are Pixie, Sorbet, Canary, Sweet Leaf, Glacier, and Thistle.  I used the Whimsy ribbon on the bottom half of the card and added gold and silver shimmer trim.  (What?!?  Silver?!?  Yes, after coloring it with my Tender Pink marker it matches Pixie well.  I maybe should have added a band on the Sorbet piece also.)

To stamp my sentiment (from D1740, Inspired Words), I inked up the first line with Sweet Leaf, the rest of the stamp with Crystal Blue, and the very bottom line with Thistle.  I matted it on a piece of gold glitter paper.

Be sure to visit the H2H blog to see our design team's inspiration and to share your own rainbow project.  You have all month to play along with this and each of our March challenges!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Here is the card I mailed to our daughter in college.  The shamrock bunch and vase are both cut from the CTMH/Cricut Flower Market collection.  I love how our cardstock is now two-toned!  It is easy to reverse the cut of your image so that you don't have to flip your cardstock on your Cricut mat. 

Have a happy St. Patrick's Day!

Featured Paper Blog Hop: Stargazer

This month's featured paper collection is STARGAZER.  (If you're already hopping then you've probably arrived from Kathleen's blog.  From here you'll visit Julie's blog next.)

My 9-year-old nephew needed a birthday card recently, so here is what he helped me make!  We used the CTMH/Crict Artistry collection for the fun sentiment.  He loved the shimmer trim strips.  (The stars are retired but a great fit for a fun birthday card.)

While I usually prefer sharing layouts with photos, this Stargazer layout is still "generic" enough for me to decide what photos and stamping to add later.

Thank you for visiting!  Be sure to check out all the great ways that you can the Stargazer collection on this blog hop.  After leaving me a comment, please visit Julie's blog next.