Last Chance for September Specials!

Last chance today for the Close To My Heart September stamp of the month, Paper Garden, and the Hello Life stamps!

H2H Challenges: Change

The final September challenge for Heart 2 Heart Challenges is change.  I'll be honest: this card isn't my original project idea.  I wanted to create a layout of our daughter with her kindergarten picture and her senior picture, but I was crying too much.  (Please be kind to my naked, open heart here, peeps!)  I will get that layout made, but NOT today.

Since Fall is in the air here in my hometown, I chose the Sangria Workshop on the Go paper pack, stamp set, and assortment to create this card based on the Make It From Your Heart, Vol. 2 sketch.  "Together" might not be a good change sentiment, but it's what I chose anyway. ;)

My card is embellished with a flower from the Sangria Workshop on the Go stamp set and a flower from the Sangria assortment.  Colors are Poppy and Pomegranate.

Be sure to check out all of the H2H September challenges and inspiration.  You have until the end of the month to join us!

Blossoming Expressions Card

The new Blossoming Expressions stamp set fit my CTMH "needs" perfectly!  I really needed a pretty floral stamp set, and this base-and-shade set fit the bill perfectly.  I paired it with the new Sangria paper pack and the new CTMH colors of Poppy, Pomegranate, and Eggplant.  I created two versions of the card, based on a sketch from Make It From Your Heart, Vol. 2: one with Desert Sand text added to the focal image and one without said text.

For both cards, I stamped the base flower in the aforementioned colors and then their coordinating outline image in Cocoa.  Embellishments are Poppy thick twine, Bronze shimmer trim, and the Sangria Assortment of resin flowers.

The card background was easy to create with tone-on-tone stamping.  I laid the stamps that I wanted to use onto a card, then picked them up with a large block.  I used Desert Sand ink on the Desert Sand card base for a subtle background effect.

I turned my block 180 degrees to stamp the same flowers on the bottom of the card front.

I am curious to know which card you prefer.  One of my daughters loved the first one, and the other preferred the second!

September Stamp of the Month 3"x6" Card

If you've seen my stamping work, you probably know how much I love to add multiple colors to one solid stamp.  This inking and stamp rolling is such a great way to add dimension to your stamped images without any pesky fussy cutting or other complicated techniques.  (One word of caution, however: always work from the lightest color to the darkest!)  I am having so much fun with the gorgeous September stamp of the month, Paper Garden.

To create this card, I first cut a 2.5"x5.5" panel of White Daisy card stock.  I inked up my image in Canary, Glacier, Sweet Leaf, and Sunset (in that order) and then stamped it onto the card stock panel.  I then inked up the little flower stalk with Canary and Sweet Leaf and also Glacier and Sweet Leaf, stamping it several times across the bottom at varying levels or heights.  (Be sure to clean your stamp between each inking!)  I also stamped the small flower in Sorbet in first and second generation.  Finally, I embellished my card with Coral shimmer trim and my new Grey enamel gems (which have a sheet of white gems).

The main panel was mounted onto a piece of 2.75"x5.75" of Zoe Sorbet polka dot B&T and then mounted onto a side-fold Canary card base.  I am not sure if this card looks more like spring or more like fall, but I love it either way.  I hope you do too!

CTMH Technique Blog Hop: Watercolor Your World

One of the cool new product lines in the new Close To My Heart Annual Inspirations Idea Book is the watercolors!  You're going to learn some great watercolor techniques along this month's CTMH Technique Blog Hop.  (If you're already hopping, then welcome from Priscilla's blog!  If you're just getting started or when you're ready to move on, go to Darlys' blog next.)

For my project, I decided to try my hand at painting a sunset-inspired background to go with the September stamp of the month, Paper Garden.  I thought that I would stamp in Black on the colorful background, but as you can see I changed my mind.

For the background, I started with a 4"x5.25" watercolor paper panel.  I began with yellow water color paint (which didn't photo well) and then added the next three colors (progressing to darker colors and working from bottom to top for the color area so that the pain was lighter to dark top to bottom).

Here is our actual watercolor paint, and the colors I chose are numbered in the order that I used them.

To ink up the Paper Garden flowers, I started with Poppy then Pomegranate then Eggplant and finally added touches of Cocoa.

To finish off this card, I mounted the watercolor stamped panel onto Sangria B&T and then wrapped Poppy thick twine around the card front.  I added several of the dark Pink enamel gems to add a little sparkle and dimension.

Thanks for checking out my watercolor project.  You'll learn a lot along the hop, so leave me a comment and then go visit Darlys next.

H2H Challenges: Splat!

The Heart 2 Heart Challenge, Splat!, can be interpreted in several different ways.  I decided to try spattering our new watercolor paint onto a card background, and this is the card I ended up making.

I chose colors from the new watercolor paints that I thought went nicely with the Sangria paper pack.  I started with the lightest color, a yellow.  For each color, I added a little water to the watercolor cake/paint and then held my left hand over the watercolor paper then tapped the paintbrush against my hand.  Here are the colors that I used:

{Aren't they beautiful?!?  Are you ready to give them a try?}

Here's a look at the card background in progress, one color at a time.

It didn't take terribly long for the background to dry.  I decided to use a sketch from Make It From Your Heart, Vol. 1 for my card design.  I also inked up the sentiment in Poppy, then Pomegranate, and then Eggplant to get the pretty tricolor, gradient effect.  Finally, I embellished this card with bronze shimmer trim, Sangria Assortment resin flower, and Pink enamel gems.

Please check out how our H2H Design Team interpreted the SPLAT! challenge, and link up your project before the end of September.  Happy splatting!

You Are My Sunshine Card

The Zoe Workshop on the Go scrapbooking kit also makes great cards!

For this card, I cut the sunshine rays from the CTMH/Cricut Artbooking cartridge (set at 4.25") using Canary card stock. That piece is backed with the pretty Sorbet polka dots (cut at 3"x4.25").  The bottom border is another pretty piece of Zoe B&T.  I think this card looks like a sunrise over water for some reason.  On the right side of the card, I stamped the Sunshine sentiment in Canary, then the heart in Sorbet, and topped it with the "you are my" sentiment in Glacier.  Gold shimmer trim and one of the Zoe Assortment embellishments finished off the card nicely.

Have a sunshine-y day!!

Kaleidoscope Workshop on the Go Cards

The Kaleidoscope Workshop on the Go cardmaking kit makes the most adorable birthday cards!  I had so much fun creating 15 cards in no time flat.  Everything you need (except inks, blocks, and adhesive) is included in the Workshop on the Go kit.

 Here are close ups of each of the three card designs.  You make five of each card, and still have materials left over!

 Don't you love the Pixie, Canary, Pear, and Slate color combo?

 Isn't the new green shimmer trim divine?

Get your Kaleidoscope WOTG HERE!

H2H Challenges: Coloring

The second Heart 2 Heart Challenge for September is a coloring challenge.  I had to use our fabulous ShinHan Twin Touch markers with my new favorite Balloon Wishes stamp set.

(By the way, the hot air balloons that we saw in June have totally inspired this card!  Here's a picture from that evening.  Unfortunately we didn't get to ride in one of the balloons because it got too dark.  A hot air balloon ride is still on my bucket list!)

If you'd like to copy this look, I used the following markers (in ROY G BIV order, of course): Carmine, Marigold, Golden Yellow, Vivid Green, Peacock Green, Marine Blue, and Peony Purple.  To create this look, I stamped the balloon on the Zoe B&T Glacier houndstooth checked patterned paper AND on scrap White Daisy card stock.  I colored the White Daisy card stock image, cut it out, and adhered it on top of the card background stamped image.  I colored the little ruffle on the Up, Up, and Away banner with the Peacock Green marker.  To finish off the card, I embellished the edge with Teal shimmer trim and wrapped up some Glacier thick twine.

Be sure to check out all the H2H DT creations and coloring inspiration.  Don't forget that you can play along with any of the month's challenges the entire month.  Join us!  We love to see your work!

National Stamping Month Blog Hop

CTMH has designed three really cool stamp sets for National Stamping Month (which some parts of the world know as September)!  Join my blog hop group to see some fabulous ideas for using the Hello Life (#ctmhHelloLife) fun stamps.  (If you're already hopping, then you've probably arrived from Michelle's blog.  From here, you'll visit Terrie's blog next.)

It's probably no surprise that my favorite is the Scrapbooking set of the Hello Life collections! (The 3 sets are $13.95 each or all three for $34.95; they all coordinate with the new CTMH/Cricut Artistry cartridge.)

For both my projects, I chose to use the scrapbooking set on cards.  I grabbed my Zoe paper pack with Canary, Glacier, Sorbet, Sweet Leaf, and Slate inks along with my blending pen.  I think the first card has more of a "clean and simple" feel to it.

The second is based on the new Viva La Verve sketch September 2015 Week 1 challenge sketch challenge.  I started by random stamping the solid flower in Canary, Glacier, and Sorbet, followed by the outline flower in the same colors.  I used Canary for all the flower centers and then Sweet Leaf for the leaves.  My sentiment and camera were stamped in Slate, then I colored the camera with my blending pen and Slate, Whisper, and Sweet Leaf.  Embellishments include the Zoe Assortment, green and coral shimmer trim, and a Grey enamel gem.  Here is the sketch:

Thanks for hopping along the Hello Life National Stamping Month blog hop!  Go visit TERRIE next!

Click HERE for all the hop participants and their blogs.

Whooo Had a Birthday?

Our niece turned 9 on Monday, and we got together last night to celebrate her special day.  (She had a rocking birthday weekend prior to the actual day!)  She LOVES owls, so I made this card for her using leftovers from the Kaleidoscope card making Workshop on the Go.  (The only thing that I had to add from my stash was the White Daisy panel.)

Both the owl card and the White Daisy "happy birthday wishes" panel were cut with my Cricut using the CTMH/Cricut Artfully Sent cartridge.  The colors of the Kaleidoscope WOTG are Slate, Pixie, Canary, and Pear.  You get the gorgeous green shimmer trim and pretty pink gems in the Workshop on the Go kit along with the birthday stamp (used to make the birthday balloon).

I think she had a great birthday!  Happy birthday, Madison!

September Stamp of the Month Blog Hop: Paper Garden

Today is a super exciting day in CTMH Land!  The brand new, gorgeous Annual Inspirations Idea Book and a festive fall/holiday Seasonal Expressions is now LIVE to everyone!  (We consultants have been enjoying them for a month or more already.)  In the Seasonal Expressions supplement, you'll find the stamps of the month for the four months of the "life" of the supplement: September, October, November, and December.  As always, I'm kicking off the month with the Stamp of the Month Blog Hop group, and I am absolutely in love with the September stamp of the month, Paper Garden!  (If you're already strolling through the Paper Garden, then you've probably wandered here from Alyson's blog.  After you admire my blooms, you'll meander on over to Terrie's blog next.)

My card uses the Nevermore color scheme of Whisper, Slate, Eggplant, and Black.  To create the beautiful blooms, I inked up my stamped first in Whisper, then layered on Slate, and then inked the edges in Eggplant.  Isn't this new color gorgeous?  The Whisper panel is mounted onto a piece of Black and then adhered to the Colonial White card base.

These two flowers (and the leaf, not pictured) are cuts on the new CTMH/Cricut Artistry cartridge.  I love the text and designs built into this stamp set!  I finished off this elegant card with black shimmer trim and a silver sequin.

I also have a completely different look with the following 5"x7" card.  My second card is my contribution for a great color challenge at the Heart 2 Heart Challenges blog.  If you'd like to learn more about this card, click HERE.

Thanks for walking (or hopping) through the Paper Garden with me.  Now go to Terrie's blog!

Click HERE for all the hop participants and their blogs.

H2H Challenges: Poppy Color Challenge

Heart 2 Heart Challenges' first challenge for September is a gorgeous poppy color inspiration!  The color combo is Topiary, Lagoon, Glacier, Sunset, and Cranberry.

For my project, I had to add in Close To My Heart's new POPPY color, which fits in beautifully right in between Sunset and Cranberry.  I had so much fun making this card with the September stamp of the month, Paper Garden, and this amazing color combo.

To stamp this gorgeous image, I inked up the middle of the stamp with Glacier ink, then rolled the stem end into Topiary.  I then rolled the flower end around in Sunset then Poppy then Cranberry on the very tips.  I finally stamped it directly onto a piece of White Daisy card stock.  I then sponged Glacier ink onto the background and swiped the edges with the sponge to intensify the color.

If you look closely, you can see that I stamped the chicken wire stamp repeatedly in Sunset onto the Sunset card stock panel.  To embellish the card, I grabbed my new Coral shimmer trim, new Poppy thick twine, and new Green enamel and glitter triangles.

Here's a final close up of that beautiful flower image from the September stamp of the month, Paper Garden.

Be sure to check out how all of the H2H Designers interpreted this color challenge,  You won't be disappointed!  I hope you'll join us this month with any of the September challenges. Happy crafting!