CTMH Product Spotlight Blog Hop: Cupcake Sprinkles (& Some Stud Muffins)

Welcome to another fun CTMH blog hop! This month, 10 fabulous (if I do say so myself) Close To My Heart consultants are showcasing the adorable Cupcake Sprinkles stamp set. (If you've already started hopping, then you should be here from Helen's blog. If this is your first stop, hop on board, check out my layout, and then head to Melinda E.'s blog.)

This stamp set is so much fun, and as soon as I saw it, I knew I would use it for this layout of my girls and my nephews. In case you can't tell, the boys' shirt reads "Stud Muffin Seeks Cupcake!" Too cute!!! That was a no-brainer for the title, and I used the t-shirt colors as inspiration (and the Daydream paper pack/color palette). To personalize this layout, I random stamped the background to show off those yummy cupcakes. If you can't find designer paper you want, make your own with stamps!

This layout is another example of being glad that I "aged" my photos and didn't scrapbook them right away! If I had scrapbooked Alex's adorable shots with the girls way back when they were taken, I would have had to have created a totally separate page for Will's photos. Instead, I love seeing the changes that age brought on to the girls, and who can resist all that adorable scrumptiousness of these four precious children?!? When looking for a design idea, I found that slightly modifying the Balanced Blocks sketch from Cherish worked well with my pictures.

The right page will have a flip-flap to hold the photo/journaling block. They tend to glare so I photographed the page without the flap. Also, even though the Friendship alphabet stamp set has its own exclamation point, I decided to use the candle from the Cupcake Sprinkles stamp set instead. The hearts were a loving afterthought. Sorry I can't remember which stamp set they're from- I stamped them out from a friend's stamp set. (Hi Joy!)

Here are a few technique tips: If you look at my close-up cupcake shots, you'll notice the "sprinkles" on the first one made with a collection of brads. For the other one, I started with a blush corduroy brad to mimic a cherry on top, but it just didn't have the "oomph" I was looking for. I decided to try to dye it by rubbing it on my Hollyhock ink pad. I had to rub it in the ink a few times, but I love the results! (Also, I was impatient for it to dry so I blasted it with my heat tool.) Finally, to finish off those yummy cuppies, I used some 3-D foam squares to pop them off the page.

Okay, if you're still with me, thanks for ooh-ing and ahh-ing over the loves of my life. Feel free to leave me a little sweet cupcake lovin' before you head on over to Melinda's blog to see her tasty treat. Thanks for looking and happy hopping!

All supplies from Close To My Heart: Cupcake Sprinkles and Friendship Alphabet stamp sets; Daydream paper pack; Creme Brulee, Lilac Mist, Sweet Leaf, Blush, and Hollyhock inks; Spring Blossom brads; Cottage Edge Anchors; Winter Cozy Mini-Medley; Flip-Flap; 3-D foam squares