CTMH Stamp of the Month Blog Hop: Live Out Loud (July 2012)

Welcome to the July stamp of the month blog hop!  It is time to Live Out Loud!  If you'd like to be inspired to use this stamp set, join me and a large group of talented consultants.  Hopping is easy; just click on the link to the next blog.  (If you're already hopping, then you should have arrived here from Gina's blog.  You'll hop on over to Lori's blog next!)

Once I started creating with this stamp set, I couldn't stop!  All of these projects use the Stella paper pack and the coordinating inks: Cocoa, Tulip, Sunset, Olive, and Lagoon.  (On a few, I added in some Creme Brulee too.)  This layout actually began with the Soar stamp.  I knew which colors I wanted to use and then built my layout around this piece.  (I inked up the top half in Creme Brulee, then added a little Sunset toward the top and Tulip at the very top.  Then I inked under the Creme Brulee in Lagoon, Olive, and then Cocoa.  Finally, I "huffed" or breathed onto the stamp and then stamped it onto the Colonial White square.  This image took my breath away!)

My embellishments include Paradise baker's twine and Tulip embroidery floss plus wooden butterflies from the Garden collection.  I also used the Friendship Alphabet Small for my journaling and had my daughter sign her name to the page too.

 I used the same stamping techniques on this 8"x3.5" die cut card.  Can you see how I "rainbow" distressed the edges of the sentiment?

This next card was really fun to make.  I wanted something a bit funky, and I found a little rubbery plastic ring in my distressing kit that looks like a mini koosch ball.  I inked it up in Sunset and "stamped" it on my card base.  It wasn't enough color, so I did it some more with Lagoon ink.  Better, but not quite the look I wanted.  I tried it again with Cocoa and then had the fun funky look I wanted.  The card is completely made of scraps.  I highlighted "loud" with Bronze glitter glitz gel and added a few Mocha Opaques pearls.

For my last card for today, I was trying for a more masculine look.  What do you think?  The circle was actually one that I didn't use on a previous project, so I paired it up with the square card and the square mat. I grounded the sentiment with a piece of zip strip (you know, the piece with the CTMH logo and paper info?) and highlighted certain words with ink and my blending pen.  The circle Milestone cardboard piece seemed to fit the wordly theme.  I hope the Cocoa ribbon tag doesn't make the card too feminine; I like how it mimics the corrugated cardboard.

Before you head off to Lori's blog, I want to tell you, dear readers, how much I appreciate you!  Thank you for your kind and constructive comments.  I'd love to know what you think of my projects.  I have a few more ready to share over the next few days, so be sure to come back.  Live Out Loud is available during July 2012 only, so contact your CTMH consultant to get your own set this month.  Now go check out Lori's layout and the rest of the blog hop!