December Stamp of the Month Blog Hop: Year Round Cheer

Happy Holidays!  You are going to love the Close To My Heart December stamp of the month, Year Round Cheer!  Join me on this month's blog hop by clicking from blog to blog.  (If you're already hopping then you should have arrived from Nikka's blog.  Next you'll visit Michelle's blog.)

With all its adorable seasonal images, I had to create a set of standard-size cards for the year.  I used most of our current paper packs.  I kept them simple but glammed them up with various colors of our fabulous Glitter Glitz Gel.

This set is going into a decorated CTMH recipe box to be auctioned off Saturday to help raise money for the scholarship fund of my chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma, an international educators' honor society. 

Thanks for visiting!  Now spread some cheer and visit Michelle Loncar's blog.

Blue Christmas Challenges Card

Even though I'm feeling blue about the Thanksgiving holiday ending, I am getting very excited about Christmas!  While surfing some of my favorite challenge blogs, I couldn't resist combining a few to create this card for someone special.

 First, I began with the Navy & Silver palette at Dynamic Duos (challenge #30).  I used the (retired) Magnifique paper pack with Slate and Pacifica inks and the October stamp of the month, A Very Merry Christmas.

I also used the Retrosketches sketch #39 as my inspiration.  Can you see how I stamped the music staff from the Universal Backgrounds stamp set?

Self-adhesive silver trim is my favorite new embellishment!  I created the faux bow with seam binding and held it in place with a shimmer brad.  I think this qualifies for a Heart 2 Heart's BLING challenge, don't you?  I finished the card off with some silver glitter glitz gel too.

Have a blue Christmas!

Count Your Blessings

Happy Thanksgiving to all my American friends and family!  We are blessed to be able to spend this holiday at my cousin's home with extended family.  (We'll also celebrate again on Saturday with my in laws.)  Here is a simple gratitude journal that I made to take to my cousin.  I hope that it will become a treasured keepsake of memories.

I began by covering an inexpensive composition book with the beautiful (retired) Dreamin' paper.  I stamped the title square with Crystal Blue and Pacifica inks with The Works alphabet and the A Little Thanks stamp set.  The offset medallion was stamped in Goldrush and Chocolate.  I glitzed it up with Bronze and Almond Glitter Glitz Gel.

No matter where you live, take time to count your blessings!  Cultivate an attitude of gratitude.

 

I'm entering this gratitude journal at Tammy's Scrapin Corner Challenge #37: Anything Fall or Thanksgiving.

H2H Challenges: Christmas Is in the Air

It's once again time to get your Christmas craft on at Heart 2 Heart Challenges!  (I know, I know, here in America we're celebrating Thanksgiving this week, but as crafters we have to work ahead of schedule.  I am NOT a fan of Happy Hallowthankschristmasgiving! LOL)  Seriously, though, can you believe that Christmas is only about a month away?  We're trying to help you get ahead of the game.  My project this week is treat bags for my daughters' friends.

Don't tell the girls, but these were a cinch to make.  Last year, I stocked up on the lotion and emery boards in the after-Christmas half-off sales. ;)  Then, I found the mini nail polish- also on sale- and added it to my stash.  Hubby suggested adding chapstick, and DD thought candy canes would make them more festive.

The lotions themselves drove my non-traditional color palette of Pear and Cotton Candy, but it's a great combo for teens!  I created a simple square card (8"x4" base) of card stock.  I used the stamp set in the Pear & Partridge Workshop on the Go kit to stamp the presents in the corners and "Merry Christmas" on the back.  Then, I stapled the cards to the bags as bag toppers.  The center sentiment panels hide the staple (at least on the front).

To finish the bag toppers, I used Green & Pink Glimmer Glitz Gel to add some sparkly "bling."  The girls will be able to add a personal message to the back of each one and then give them to their friends this holiday season.

 

Now, go check out what our fabulous DT has to inspire you this week and link you your Christmas project to the H2H challenge blog.  Happy holidays!

Scrap Our Stash November Challenge: Tear It Up!

This month's Scrap Our Challenge is to tear it up!  Tear your paper to add texture and dimension to your layout without tons of bulk.

I love creating natural elements like mountains and waves with torn paper.  Tearing can really soften straight edges.  If your cardstock has a white core, when you tear the paper toward you, the white core will show.  If you don't want the white core to show, either tear your paper away from you, or turn it over and tar it toward you on the back of the piece you plan to use.  That is how I created my "mountains" for my layout of our trip to Chimney Rock State Park in North Carolina.  To give the mountains further definition, I inked the torn edges in Twilight ink on the Twilight cardstock.

 The photo collage was made through Walmart.com when I uploaded and purchased my photo prints.

This layout uses the Close To My Heart Clementine paper pack, the Old World Alphabet stamp set, and the Cottage Assorment of fabric and button flowers.  I used Twilight, Creme Brulee, and Saddle inks too.

We'd love for you to tear it up this month and share your layout at Scrap Our Stash!  All products and skill levels are welcome!

Avonlea Scrapbook Class: The Biltmore {Layout Share}

Last weekend, the lovely ladies in my scrapbook club created this layout featuring the Avonlea paper pack, the Sweet Memories stamp set, and a sketch from the how-to guide, Make It From Your Heart, Vol. 1.

We worked on matching up current CTMH ink colors with this paper pack with its exclusive colors that don't have matching inks.  We found that Twilight, Olive, and Juniper look nice with this collect of paper, so we stamped a row of cameos with Slate, Twilight, and Juniper.

We also had fun with the lace stamp to make a border across the bottom of both pages.

We used different ribbon instead of paper to create the top layers of this layout sketch.

I couldn't resist accenting my cameos with little sparkles.  All of the metal accents are from the coordinating, gorgeous Avonlea Brocade Assortment.

Heart 2 Heart Challenges: November Inspiration

If you're already a fan of Heart 2 Heart Challenges, then you may have seen this week's news: Our fearless and fantastic leader, Mary, is stepping down from the H2H blog at the end of the year.  (She is no longer a CTMH consultant and is being led in other directions at this stage of life.)  Never fear, though, because Yours Truly is stepping up to try to fill her mighty big shoes and keep H2H moving forward.  Shirley Ross is coming along with me as my fearless and inspirational sidekick. 

Now on to this week's challenge: Use this photo in any way that strikes you to spark your CTMH creativity.

I fell in love with the color palette and those darling owls.  Unfortunately, none of my owls seemed to "work" for me, so instead I created this thank you card.

It uses the A Little Thanks stamp set, and I literally pulled scraps of Champagne, Chocolate, and Topiary (retired B&T) to fit card sketch #28 from the Make It From Your Heart, Vol. 1 how-to guide.  I stamped the edges of my card base with a floral spray from this stamp set in the same colors as the papers. 

For the sentiment, I first inked it up in Pear and then rolled the edges in Chocolate.  (Yum!)  I cut it out along the stamped scalloped edges and then used Liquid Glass to adhere the two cardstock pieces to the burlap ribbon and then the ribbon to the Topiary panel.  I also used Liquid Glass to hold the button and Chocolate striped grosgrain ribbon.  A little Almond Glitter Glitz Gel gave the sentiment a bit of sparkle.

If you'd like more inspiration or are ready to play along, head on over to H2H.  We're so thankful for our readers and participants! 

Hurricane Relief Effort, CTMH-Style

The news of the destruction and devastation of Hurricane Sandy has been overwhelming.  So many lives have been hurt or altered by this storm.  Close To My Heart is helping the relief efforts, and you can too!

Our November promotion is called "Capture the Date, Capture the Savings," and its key player is the November Stamp of the Month, which is a simply fabulous calendar set you can see pictured above. When you make a $50 purchase, you can get this stamp set for a mere $5 under our generous Stamp of the Month program. You can then purchase one additional stamp set from the Idea Book for 50% off. From November 1 through 30, we will be donating $1 from every sale of the November Stamp of the Month set to the American Red Cross for hurricane relief.

 Every dollar counts when it comes to these massive scale relief operations, which is why I hope all of you will participate in this month’s promotion in addition to whatever donations you make independently. Let’s work together to help our friends and neighbors move forward!