October Stamp of the Month: Blog Hop Time (and H2H Challenge)

It's time for the October Stamp of the Month Blog Hop featuring "Share the Magic," a set of 12 adorable Christmas stamps. (If you're coming from Antoinette's site, stop here and rest a moment, then hop on to my friend Shirley's blog!)

Since I'm not quite ready for Christmas crafting (yet), the teddy bear in this set jumped out at me. I couldn't resist playing along with this week's Heart 2 Heart "ABC" challenge:

A= Alphabet. Use alphabet stamps, stickers, etc., in some way on your project.
B= Boy. Your project must be for a boy.
C= Chocolate. You must include the color Chocolate somewhere on your artwork.

What do you think of my teddy bear medallion? Can you tell what I made it from?

It's the edge of a brown paper bag! I used the Magnifique paper pack (with Chocolate in it), Chocolate ink for the bear, and the Old World stamp set (the A in the challenge). I colored the bear with my waterbrush and Chocolate and Bamboo inks. The Mocha Opaque Pearls were the perfect finishing touch.

Thanks for stopping by, and now go check out Shirley's creation! (If you get lost on the hop, click HERE for the list!)

Techniques: waterbrush coloring; pleated pinwheel; paper ruffles

Supplies from Close To My Heart: Share the Magic and Old World alphabet stamp sets; Magnifique paper pack; Chocolate, Bamboo, and Pacifica inks; 1.25" circle punch; waterbrush; Mocha Opaques

Other: 2" circle punch; brown paper bag

Family Portrait Layout

We had a family portrait session last month for our church's directory, and of course I couldn't resist buying them...


and scrapbooking them when they came in!

Here are the results of my efforts.

The right page will have an 6"x12" flip flap to hold the Sky piece you see at the top right.

Here is that piece opened up with pictures of the girls with each of us.

Here are a few close ups of the stamping and embellishments.

All supplies from Close To My Heart: Circle of Love and Unity stamp sets; Magnifique paper pack; White Daisy, Black, and Grey Wool card stock; Sky, Grey Wool, and Black inks; Licorice and Pearl Opaques; Sparkles; Create-A-Shade paint (homemade shimmer mist); 12" Flip Flaps

Other: staples

{Layout 2010 #45}

Tuesday Technique(s): Highlights from Sunday's Fall Card Class

Here are highlights from last Sunday's Fall Card Class.

*Coloring with Chalk: peacock card

*Chalk Popping: peacock feather card (not shown)

*Disappearing Chalk or Chalk Lifting (as explained on Melissa Robinson's blog): bat skull card

*Joseph's Coat (video by the fabulously artsy Tresa Black): Olivia WOTG (Timeless stamp set) fall leaves

Thriller Card Swap and Halloween Blog Hop

Say that three times fast! Here's a bunch of hauntingly fun Halloween card ideas, compliments of the talented Close To My Heart consultants in my unit. Also, my friend Tresa found a fun way to create a blog hop (without any major organizing necessary), so of course I had to jump on board.

I wish you could see these all in person, because the details are incredible! The text card at the top was created by Bridget Mahler, and the Scary Halloween card was created by Tanya Stone. (If you know who made the far left card, please let me know! Thanks!)

Check out Tanya's details: stitching, ribbon ruffles, prisma glitter, cuttlebug background, cool folded wings...

The white skull card is mine. Don't you love the stitching that Camy Eisentrager added to her circle card? I love Taralyn's puple background for the skull bat.

Pam Beery added prisma glitter to black combossing powder (a ratio of 1:2 works well) to create this spooky cool card.

This Lagoon skull card is so cool with the Licorice Opaque "eye" and highlights (created by Terri Harden for another swap I was in).

For these two cards, I used a "chalk lifting" technique. I really didn't think that this was going to turn out very nice, but I was amazed when the Versamark image pulled the chalk off the card stock and the black background glowed through. We made this card at my card class last Sunday, and one of my customers added the red Sparkles to the bat skull eyes. How cool is that? We all had to copy her!

Now, feel free to click on any of the thumbnails below to check out other blogs in this Halloween blog hop. Want to join us? Just link up your Halloween idea- any crafty idea can be shared. Happy haunting, I mean, hopping!

Big Picture Scrapbooking Is Now...

...BIG PICTURE CLASSES, which so reflects what they are all about. This is one of my favorite online learning centers, so go check it out today. If you sign up for a class, we'll both get some extra credit! :) They also have several free classes, so give one a try. You won't be disappointed!

On the home front, we have a busy day today! The girls are running in their second race, a 1 mile race in our town. Hopefully the home field advantage will help them. Then we'll swing by church to check out the Trash & Treasures sale (aka Clare's Fare). The grocery store is another stop because we're having friends over for dinner tonight. Have a super Saturday with whatever is on your agenda!

Magnifique Home Decor

Guests at my open house earlier this month created this 8"x10" photo mat art. It fits perfectly into an 8"x10" frame (like I did, shown here with a 4"x6" photo of us at Easter), or you can mount it onto a larger piece of cardstock to make a scrapbook page (like my friend Joy is doing). {I wish I knew how to post a PDF here so that I could show you Joy's!}

Here are some close-ups of the details:


We spritzed the Pacfica feather B&T Duos with homemade shimmer mist (recipe below), then folded it to make ruffles at one end. Unfortunately my camera didn't capture the shimmer well, but it adds a nice touch IRL.

The medallion, saying, and star are all from the Unity stamp set, and the other stamps used are from the Circle of Love stamp set. How do you like the Mocha Pearls and blue Sparkles?

If you'd like to make something similar and weren't able to attend my open house, gather a few friends together and invite me over!

To make the shimmer mist, find a small spritz bottle and fill about 3/4 full with rubbing alcohol. Squeeze in Close To My Heart's Create-A-Shade pearlescent paint (but do not overfill). Shake well. (I've read that you should shake from side to side and not up and down, but I just shake mine whichever way and haven't had any problems.) Give it a test squirt and see what you think. Add more paint and shake again if necessary. Remember to shake before using because the paint may settle to the bottom between uses.



Another tip: recycle a cardboard box lid (like a shirt box, copy paper box, or soda flat) to use with your shimmer mist. Place your project in the box, then spritz away. The excess mist will stay inside your box and not splatter on your work surface.

All supplies from Close To My Heart: Circle of Love and Unity stamp sets; Magnifique paper pack; Pacifica, Sky, and Chocolate inks; Blue Sparkles (blue & green sparkles collection); Mocha Pearls; homemade shimmer mist

School Projects and a New 'Do

Cross country and dance lessons aren't the only things keeping the girls busy these days. Here's a 7th grade cell project (fortunately completed at school with a partner; I just had to go buy materials the day before), but you'll have to ask the 7th grader what all the parts are! (She's got another big project due Tuesday.)

The 4th grade habitat project took a lot of time (at home) to make. "We" couldn't choose a simple animal like a squirrel or something! Instead it had to be an Asian fairy bluebird. It's amazing what you can do with a color printer and the Internet!

Fortunately no other projects are due this week (although I still have papers to grade!).


Here's a new 'do too!

New Art & Soul Webisode: Color & Cutting Confidence

Who doesn't need some color & cutting confidence? Click HERE to learn more and watch this month's CTMH TV Art & Soul Webisode!

Happy Mail on Friday!

Imagine my surprise to find this cool envelope in my mailbox on Friday from none other than the Fabulously Artsy Stamp Goddess herself, Tresa Black! Can you tell what she made it from? That's right, she made this envelope from none other than a Close To My Heart catalog page. How fun is that?!? You can learn how to make one for yourself on her Ustream Channel!

You cannot even begin to imagine my delight at finding this gorgeous peacock card inside. (Again, watch her shows on her Ustream channel!) It is so much prettier in person than I can ever hope to show you here in blog land. Her attention to detail is incredible. Be sure to check out the inside too.

Isn't she sweet? I received this Fabulously Artsy original in apreciation for teaching at CU-OL. Are you kidding me? Doing that was so much fun that I plan to teach a few shows of my own in the near future, especially now that my cold is on the mend.

Now that you are peacock green with envy, have a magnifique Monday!

Cupcake Fun Run Results

These pictures speak for themselves!

First Race

This morning we are heading about an hour and a half away for our daughters' first race, which begins at 8:30 AM. They have been running cross country twice a week with our local rec department, and today is their first event, a 1K cupcake fun run. That's right, you get cupcake at the end of the run! That's *almost* enough incentive to get me out there jogging too! LOL

I'll try to post pictures later today of all the fun in a fun run, but in the meanwhile here are a few cupcakes I've stamped and decorated. (Notice that I have not baked and decorated any cupcakes! Oh well.) If you'd like to see that (artwork) post, click HERE.

Have a great Saturday, and wish the girls luck!

Cherry on Top Award!

And the icing on the cake too!

Here are the simple rules for accepting this award:

1. Thank the person who gave it to you.

Thank you, Jody!

2. Post the award on your blog.
Done!

3. Tell everyone three things that you love.
God, my family, and scrapbooking

4. A picture you love.

5. Pass this award on to five blogs you love.

In no particular order...

Traveling Bells

Hooked on Stamping

Fabulously Artsy

Stacy Julian

Heart 2 Heart Challenges