H2H Challenges: Rainbows

This week's Heart2Heart Challenge is rainbows!  I decided to try a softer take using the Whimsy collection.

From top to bottom, the colors (from the Whimsy Fundamentals collection) are Pixie, Sorbet, Canary, Sweet Leaf, Glacier, and Thistle.  I used the Whimsy ribbon on the bottom half of the card and added gold and silver shimmer trim.  (What?!?  Silver?!?  Yes, after coloring it with my Tender Pink marker it matches Pixie well.  I maybe should have added a band on the Sorbet piece also.)

To stamp my sentiment (from D1740, Inspired Words), I inked up the first line with Sweet Leaf, the rest of the stamp with Crystal Blue, and the very bottom line with Thistle.  I matted it on a piece of gold glitter paper.

Be sure to visit the H2H blog to see our design team's inspiration and to share your own rainbow project.  You have all month to play along with this and each of our March challenges!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Here is the card I mailed to our daughter in college.  The shamrock bunch and vase are both cut from the CTMH/Cricut Flower Market collection.  I love how our cardstock is now two-toned!  It is easy to reverse the cut of your image so that you don't have to flip your cardstock on your Cricut mat. 

Have a happy St. Patrick's Day!

Featured Paper Blog Hop: Stargazer

This month's featured paper collection is STARGAZER.  (If you're already hopping then you've probably arrived from Kathleen's blog.  From here you'll visit Julie's blog next.)

My 9-year-old nephew needed a birthday card recently, so here is what he helped me make!  We used the CTMH/Crict Artistry collection for the fun sentiment.  He loved the shimmer trim strips.  (The stars are retired but a great fit for a fun birthday card.)

While I usually prefer sharing layouts with photos, this Stargazer layout is still "generic" enough for me to decide what photos and stamping to add later.

Thank you for visiting!  Be sure to check out all the great ways that you can the Stargazer collection on this blog hop.  After leaving me a comment, please visit Julie's blog next.

CTMH Technique Blog Hop: Purposeful Patterns

Close To My Heart has recently released two new how-to sketch guides, Make It From Your Heart Vol. 3 for scrappers and Vol. 4 for card makers.  This month's technique blog hop is featuring creations made with CTMH's awesome how-to books.  (If you're already hopping then you've probably arrived from Melissa's blog.  From here, you'll visit Debi next.)

My projects feature the Gimme Some Sugar collection.  I paired my photos with the Make It From Your Heart, Vol. 3 sketch 5 and the Cut Above Kitchen Traditions bundle stamp set.

On the left page, I cut down one of the Picture My Life cards from the paper pack to fit the sketch and shared a photo from our church youth fundraiser Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper.

On the right page, I stamped my title in Peacock with Bashful accents.  The pretty cork shapes are part of the Gimme Some Sugar collection.  (BTW, Macey made THE BEST snickerdoodles I have ever eaten!)

Here is a layout using the same Gimme Some Sugar collection paired with the March stamp of the month, Birthday Time, celebrating my birthday last year.  This sketch is based on the MIFYH, Vol. 3I, sketch 3.  You can find out more HERE.

If you' re not using our purposeful patterns, what are you waiting for?  Continue on the hop after leaving me a comment by visiting Debi's blog next!

Scrapbook 2018: January Layout

This year, I am offering a special series to my customers to create a "year-in-review" scrapbook with a layout for each month, title page, etc.  We are meeting once a month, and I am excited to have completed my January 2018 layout!

We used the Make It From Your Heart, Vol. 3 for the sketch.  My January color palette is White Daisy, Glacier, and Peacock.  We are using the month series stamps (retired, but special offer last year) to customize each layout.  We used both the Enchantment Fundamentals and Chelsea Gardens plus card stock for this layout.

Silver glitter dots and shimmer trim were a great compliment for these frosty, wintry colors.

Thanks for letting me share with you.  I have one spot left if anyone local would like to join this monthly group.

H2H Challenges: Seasonal Expressions 1 Cover Challenge

The first March Heart 2 Heart challenge is using the Seasonal Expressions 1 cover as your inspiration.

The Chelsea Gardens collection on the cover is my favorite from this Idea Book, and I have enjoyed creating many projects with it, but today I am featuring something a little different.

These pots of succulents never need watering!  Guests as my open house last month each made their own mini pot to take home.

The succulents were cut from the CTMH/Cricut Flower Market cartridge with Sweet Leaf, Fern, and Juniper card stock. 

Once cut, I sponged the edges either with the same ink or a contrasting ink. (I really ended up loving Pomegranate sponged onto a Fern succulent!)

Everything is stuck together with Liquid Glass.  (Just remember that this stuff will hold anything but dries shiny and wet-looking.)

I bought the moss in the craft section of my local big box store, and the terracotta pots came from the garden center.

Thanks for letting me share a fun home decor project with you that you can literally make, place where you like, and practically forget about having to care for it!  Be sure to see all of the inspiration from the H2H designers, and join us this month!

March Stamp of the Month: Birthday Time

It's my birthday month, and Close To My Heart has an adorable celebratory stamp of the month, Birthday Time!  Join me and my group of CTMH consultant bloggers as we celebrate with a Birthday Time blog hop.  Hopping is easy- just follow the links for great ideas. (If you're already hopping, then you've probably arrived from Brandi's blog.  From here you'll continue the hop by going to Michelle's blog next.  When you get back to me, you'll know you've completed the entire hop!)

I created two projects already with this adorable, celebratory stamp set, paired with the Gimme Some Sugar collection.  First is a layout from my birthday last year.  I used the Make It From Your Heart, Vol. 3 Pattern 3 to showcase my four pictures.  I did add in gold shimmer trim.

On the left page, I stamped images with Juniper and Tangerine inks. In addition to the cork shapes from the Gimme Some Sugar collection, I added gold shimmer trim and glitter dots.

On the right page, I stamped images in Juniper, Bashful, and Pixie.  My journaling box is matted on one of the PML cards that comes with this paper pack.

My next project is an M-fold card.  I started with a base of Bashful card stock (5.5"x11") that I scored at 1-1/4", 4", and 6-3/4".  I cut the pretty Gimme Some Sugar papers to fit on each panel.  The sentiment banner measures 1-3/4" for the White Daisy stamped piece and 2" for the Juniper base.  Can you see how I used my Pink Shimmer Brush on the "happy" portion?

Here is the inside of the card, stretched open.

Thank you for helping me celebrate the Birthday Time stamp of the month and my birthday!  I'd love a comment before you leave.  Now go see how MICHELLE is celebrating with Birthday Time!

{Click HERE for all the hop participants and their blogs.}