Stamp of the Month Blog Hop: Thoughtful Tidings (February 2012)

Welcome to the February Close To My Heart stamp of the month blog hop! Not only is a new stamp set, Thoughtful Tidings, being introduced, but so is the new Spring/Summer Idea Book! (If you don't have a consultant and would like a copy, please let me know.)

Click HERE for a PDF flyer about the February stamp of the month.
If you're new to blog hopping, it is super easy- you just click on the link to the next person's blog. (If you're already hopping, you should have arrived from Debra Van Patten's blog and heading next to Doreen Guilfoyle's blog.)
My project is a fun little simple tag book to show my daughters how much I love them. Each page is stamped with a different sentiment from the February stamp of the month, Thoughtful Tidings.

I started with eight shipping tags from the office supply place and pulled out my Roxie paper pack. I used the coordinating inks: Tulip, Smoothie, Desert Sand, and Black.
I also pulled some scraps of ribbon and a few embellishments like the Licorice Opaques and Just Bloom paper flowers.
The back of each tag is blank so that I can write a personalize message.

Please let me know if you have any questions about any of the pages. I paper pieced several of the images to add some variety. I also did a bit of paper tearing and ink distressing for texture.

This heart was first stamped in Smoothie and then rolled in Tulip. I used the same rolling technique on the next tag, only I inked up "Consider yourself" in Desert Sand and "hugged" in Tulip.

I will be featuring this stamp set at my card class on Saturday, February 11. I'd love for you to join me!
Now, go check out the sweet treat Doreen has created the February stamp of the month. Thanks for stopping by!

I'm also linking this post up to the Heart 2 Heart challenge to create something for someone you love!

H2H Challenges: 3-D

It's time for my team to host Heart to Heart Challenges again, and this week's challenge is to create a 3-dimensional project! I am showcasing a scripture box that I made using a My Creations Memory Game box. This white chipboard box includes 24 white chipboard 3"x3" coasters inside.

The Typeset paper pack matches my home decor well, so I used it to decorate my box. If you'd like to make one of these boxes, here are a few tips. First, choose a color to distress the edges of your paper and all the edges of the box. (I used Desert Sand.) That way, the papers do not have to be the exact size of the box. It's actually better if they're about an 1/8" shorter all the way around. Also, to make the curved flap, just trace and then cut.

Here is the top of my box.

Plus, here are two of the coasters that I made. (This verse stamp is NOT from CTMH; it is from Verve.) I used the Dreamin' paper pack.

My second coaster scripture uses the Sonoma paper pack. I printed this verse.

Now be sure to go check out the H2H DT's inspiration, and link up your own 3-D project.

CTMH *New* Product Blog Hop: Fashionista and Stella

It is one of the most exciting times of the year for Close To My Heart consultants and customers alike! Time for a NEW Idea Book full of NEW ideas and fabulous products! A group of about 30 consultants banded together to bring you a "blog hop" of some of our NEW favorites from the Spring/Summer 2012 CTMH Idea Book. (Blog hopping is easy; just click on the link to the next blog after visiting here. If you're already hopping, then you should have arrived from Kristine Ponte's blog. You will head next to Mary Eisen's blog.)
My project is a gift card "wallet" using the new Fashionista stamp set and the new Stella paper pack. I used Cocoa, Tulip, and Sunset inks, plus a new glitter button from the Bohemian assortment.

If you'd like to skip my gift card wallet tutorial, then hop on over to Mary's blog.

1. Begin with an 8.5"x5" piece of cardstock. (I used one of the B&T Duos from the Stella paper pack.) Fold in half to make a side-fold card, but then open back up.

2. Score at 1.5" down the LONG side of the cardstock.

3. At the center of the card, cut a slit from the edge to the scored line on both sides of the fold.

4. Now, you need to make the slits for the tab. Set your card on your cutter so that you will cut 3/4" IN from the short right edge. Cut from 1" down to 2.5". Move your cardstock over 0.5" and make another slit just like the first (1" to 2.5").

4. Fold up the scored line to make a pocket. Cut off the little center sliver.

5. Round all four corners.

6. Glue the flaps closed to make pockets. (Use the left pocket for the gift card and the right pocket for your enclosure card and message.)

7. My enclosure card measures 3"x3" so that it fits in the pocket without any problem.

8. Cut a tab 1"x3". Round two corners of a short side. With the card closed, thread the tab (rounded corners first) through the tab. Fold the tab behind the card and adhere to the back.

9. Decorate gift card wallet as desired.

For my two Fashionista girls, I stamped them on the front panel in Cocoa. Then, I stamped the gal on the left in Sunset on scrap paper and cut out her top to paste over the Cocoa image. The gal on the right is stamped in Tulip with her dress cut out and adhered over the original image. (This technique is called paper piecing.)

Thanks for sticking with me to the end! Please leave a comment and then hop on over to Mary's blog to see her cute layout!

Here is a LINK to the original instructions that I used (but modified and made my own).

More Rock the Block: Card & Layout

Here are two more project I've made with the fun January Rock the Block special. (It's only available for a few more days!

This card will especially make my family smile. On our cruise last month, the maitre d' would always say, "Have fun! Fun, fun, fun!" (After all, Carnival is the fun ships, right?) I used Olive, Lagoon, and Cocoa ink plus Olive and Cocoa cardstock. (I sanded the Cocoa cardstock before stamping in Cocoa to make that pattern pop a bit.) A button and some bling finish it off. Fun, fun, fun!

My second project is the layout that I taught at my recent scrapbook class. I was really happy to put together some photos of my hubby and me! Most (all?) of our layouts are about the girls or us as a family and not the two of us.

This layout is from Magic and uses the Roxie paper pack and various stamp sets, including the Rock the Block special and the Bohemian alphabet. The hearts are from December's stamp of the month, Mad About You.

Don't forget that you too can Rock the Block this month, getting a cool E-size stamp set and a set of nine blocks and tray.

I'm linking up my layout to the Heart 2 Heart challenge to create something for someone you love. :)

Rock on!

Love Who You Are Card

Here's a quick & easy card that I made for our older daughter using scraps from the new Stella paper pack and the new Fashionista stamp set. I love the sentiment, "Love who you are," included in this stamp set!

It doesn't show up well in the photo, but I paper pierced the edges of the Cocoa cardstock mat next to the Colonial White images piece and then tore the outside edges for some texture. The "ribbon" running behind the stamped images is actually scrap Cocoa cardstock (but the bow is really ribbon).

Because the CTMH B&T Duos are cardstock weight with patterns on both sides, I lined the inside message area with Colonial White cardstock.

At 13 (or any age!), it is sometimes hard to love who you are,

so hopefully this card will be a reminder to our daughter of how special she is!

Scrap Our Stash January Challenge: Something NEW

This month the Scrap Our Stash challenge is something NEW. I had so much fun with this one! First, my daughters got NEW clothes thanks to Christmas gift cards from their uncle (to the extremely cool Abercrombie & Fitch store, no less). We hit the Dec. 26 50% off online sale (yay!), so the girls had an impromptu fashion show when their clothes came in.

The second NEW part is that my layout uses the NEW Close To My Heart Stella paper pack, the NEW Fashionista stamp set, and the NEW glitter buttons (all available 2/1).

The layout sketch is from the Stella workshop on the go and is featured on the back cover of the CTMH Spring/Summer idea book. (If you do not already have a Close To My Heart consultant and would like your own copy of the NEW idea book, let me know.) Of course I had to make the layout my own by using a few different patterns from the gorgeous Stella paper pack. I did use up some old buttons and stamped the title with the Bohemian Alphabet.

Here are a few close-ups of the details...

And the left page...

You've still got time to take the Scrap Our Stash NEW challenge for January. All products are welcome and all skill levels are encouraged to play. Visit the blog to browse the January NEW submissions and for complete details and how to submit your entry. Scrap YOUR stash!

Studio J Special Offer!

Only 10 days left for the Studio J buy 9/get 1 scrapbook layout FREE! Get YOUR photos and memories preserved. It's so easy!

Be Yourself Card

Even though this stamp set is no longer available, I love its message and the cool girly silhouettes in the set. I made it for a very special young lady, our younger daughter. She hasn't had the best week, so I wanted to give her a little something to cheer her up.

I started with a card base from my stash. (It is a top-fold card and the front is shorter than the back.) The Wonderland paper pack is perfect for this blue-loving girl! The argyle patterned paper is on the inside of the card. Can you see the silver glitz gel? Thank you, fellow H2H design team member, Allisa, for the idea! I glammed up the gal's dress with more silver glitz.

On the inside, I wrote her a message about how much we love her and how she should be herself, because "herself" is just wonderful! She was so surprised and pleased to find it on her pillow tonight as she went to bed.

Here's a picture of our sweet gal (along with our loveable mutt and the laundry basket)! She LOVES her North Face jacket. If you've read this far, then you won't mind reading the story behind it. She really, really wanted a North Face jacket for Christmas, and we kept telling her no way because they are way too expensive. Well, her terrific daddy found this one on eBay at a reasonable price after Christmas, so she got a North Face jacket after all.

Happy 2012 Cards

With our wonderful family cruise right before Christmas, I did NOT get my Christmas cards finished! (The pieces will still be good for next year though, so in a way, I'm early. LOL) Instead, I mailed out New Year's cards. ;)

The first one uses the Believe paper pack, but to make it less Christmas-y, I focused on the Sky & Holiday Red combo. I am loving light blue and red together!


Both cards use the January stamp of the month, but the second set uses a mix of winter stamps (some current, some retired) and the colors Heavenly Blue, Crystal Blue, Twilight, and Grey Wool.

Happy 2012!

H2H Challenges: Color Challenge Plus

We have a new challenge for you this week at Heart 2 Heart challenges: use the Close To My Heart colors Crystal Blue and Amethyst! Aren't they perfect for winter photos? The "plus" part of the challenge (should you choose to accept it) is to use glitter on your project too. Be sure to visit the H2H blog to see our talented Team B's creations. (This week is my first to host the H2H blog too. Yippee!!)

For my project, I used the Wonderland papers plus Amethyst card stock to make a 6"x6" layout for a My Creations display album. I used the Snow Flurries stamp set across the bottom in Crystal Blue, plus the Party Pennants set in Crystal Blue and Amethyst for the banner (with some silver Glitz Gel in between the pennants). "Snow Days" was stamped in Grey Wool with the A Typeface stamp set. I used the faux stitching technique on the Amethyst photo mat. That cute argyle strip is one of the "zip strips" on the top of CTMH's patterned paper. You've probably already noticed the NEW glitter buttons and the NEW Grey Wool baker's twine that will be available to customers beginning 2/1! How fun!

Bust out your Crystal Blue and Amethyst inks, card stock, etc., and get crafting! Step it up to the next level with some glittery bling too, and then link up to the H2H blog. You have all month to play!

CTMH Product Spotlight Blog Hop: ScRaPs!

For our January edition of the CTMH Product Spotlight blog hop, we are showing off ways to use your scraps! We all have them, so let's put them to good use. (If you're already hopping, then you should have arrived from Carol Horton's blog. Your next stop will be Nikka's blog.

A gorgeous card at Pamela's World of Scraps, which I saved to my Pinterest account, inspired my design. I loved the idea of using strips of paper as a banner, bunting, or pennants (whatever you want to call them)! For this baby boy card, I used the Wonderland paper pack and the January stamp of the month, Little Reminders. Each paper strip was cut down to be a little shorter and a little narrower than the one before it (I started with a 4"x1" piece). The strips were glued down, and then I attached my faux stitching strip- another scrap- across the top.

I hope that my card gives you some ideas of your own. Use up those scraps! Now, hop on over to Nikka's blog to see how she uses her scraps!

All supplies from CTMH: Wonderland paper pack; Little Reminders stamp set (only available Jan. 2012!); Heavenly Blue, Crystal Blue, and Twilight inks; Twilight marker; buttons; bone folder; sanding block; piercing tool

12 for 2011

Back in November, I started creating monthly highlight layouts of 2011 (which has inpsired me to get started much sooner this year and create the monthly highlight layout within the next month this year). I made them all in Studio J to save time, and I was able to finish them all before the end of 2011. They just arrived in the mail and look even better in person!

This weekend, I will be able to slip them all in an album. The title page is already made, so all I have to do to finish this album is create a closing page. Yippee!

If you'd like to learn more about my "12 for '12" project for this year, click on the tab up above.