Featured Paper Blog Hop: Gimme Some Sugar

The April featured paper blog hop is showcasing the Gimme Some Sugar collection!  (If you're already hopping, then you've probably arrived from Kara's blog.  From here, you'll visit Shirley's blog next.)  I have had so much fun with this paper pack!

This layout my daughter's budding cooking skills (with complete details HERE).

Gimme Some Sugar and March's stamp of the month Birthday Bash (more details HERE).

This card features vellum and the pretty Peacock-trimmed white ribbon (with more details HERE).

Gimme Some Sugar paired with the Be-YOU-tiful Picture My Life cards (ABOVE and BELOW).

Hopefully my projects help show how versatile the Gimme Some Sugar collection is!  I'd love a comment before you hop on over to visit Shirley's blog next!

Picture My Life Hop

Pocket scrapbooking is such a cool concept that Close To My Heart is offering Picture My Life cards in all of its paper collections, plus you can buy packs of cards (and coordinating page protectors).  You're going to find lots of great ideas for using Picture My Life cards on this blog hop!  (If you're already hopping, then you've probably arrived from Jen's blog.  From here, you'll visit Melissa's blog next.)

My first project will go an in 8"x10" picture frame and will be given to some friends who have an adorable, almost-seven-year-old daughter.  This PML card from the Be-YOU-tiful set suits her so much!  I paired it with pieces of the Gimme Some Sugar collection, Peacock card stock (to offset Norah's gorgeous red hair) and pink pearls in honor of her June birthday.

This PML Be-YOU-tiful project is a 6"x8" sign (using a My Everyday Life page protector) that is hanging in my closet.  (Read all about it HERE.)

My final project is a set of cards using the PML cards from the Make Waves collection and the Southern Sass stamp set.  (Read more about this set HERE.)

Picture My Life cards are so versatile!  Use them in any of your papercrafting projects!  I'd love for you to leave a comment before you hop on over to Melissa's blog next!  Thank you!

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

CTMH Technique Blog Hop: Creative with Cards

Are you familiar with pocket scrapbooking and/or Close To My Heart's Picture My Life cards?  The cards are sold sets of 4"x6" and 3"x4" cards that you can incorporate into your scrapbooking or really any type of papercrafting project.  You also now get two sheets of cards in every paper pack (that you cut apart yourself.)  You're going to see lots of creative ways to use these fun pieces of ready-made art along this month's technique blog hop.  (If you're already hopping then you've probably arrived from Melissa's blog.  From here, you'll visit Debi's blog next.)

I decided to use this sentiment card from the Be-YOU-tiful Picture My Life collection to make a sign for my closet.  The pretty white stripes are actually one of the clear Picture My Life Overlays- White Frames.  To hold the clear overlay on the project, I added the white gems on three of the corners and then used a glue dot underneath each one.  (The fourth corner got a cutout from the Gimme Some Sugar paper).  I layered the sentiment panel onto a mat and base of Gimme Some Sugar paper.

I strategically made this project to measure 6"x8" to fit into an Everyday Life page protector "frame."  A little Juniper twine from the Whimsy ribbon collection lets this "picture" hang from a command hook.

I hope you like my little project.  I'd love to know what you think before you head off to see how DEBI is getting Creative with Cards!  (Just click on her name to hop on over.)  Thanks for hopping by!

H2H Challenges: Birthday Bash

No fooling, the first April Heart2Heart Challenge is Birthday Bash!  You don't have to have the March stamp of the month to join this challenge.  (By the way, did you know that your consultant can order a previous month's special through the 5th of the following month while supplies last?)

I made this stair card to celebrate a special friend's 60th birthday.  I used March stamp of the month, Birthday Bash, paired with the Gimme Some Sugar collection.

Here is a side view of this card and its elements.

These balloons were cut with the CTMH/Cricut Artistry collection with Juniper cardstock and Bashful glitter paper.

More Bashful glitter paper...

The gold shimmer brush really makes Tangerine ink POP!

If you look closely, you can see how the gold shimmer brush highlights "happy" in the Peacock sentiment.

Because this card wasn't a "typical" size, I created an envelope with matching B&T paper.

Be sure to check out all of the H2H Designers' "Birthday Bash" inspiration and join us!  You have all month to join any of the April challenges!

April Stamp of the Month Blog Hop: Color Your Life

Welcome to the April stamp of the month, Color My Life, blog hop! (If you're already hopping then you've probably arrived from Brenda's blog.  From here you'll head to Krista's blog for another great project.  Continue hopping from consultant to consultant for lots of great ideas!)

My project is an 8x10 sign that I am going to post in my classroom.  It is inspired by the book Wonder that I read with my 4th graders at the beginning of the year (and we were fortunate to get to go see the movie together!).  If you haven't read this book, then I highly encourage you to do so!  Because the main character, Auggie, is a huge fan of outer space, I chose to use the Star Gazer collection for my project with the April stamp of the month.

I used Pacifica ink to stamp "have" with a rainbow technique of first and second generation.  I stamped "courage" and "kind" with Archival Black so that I could color them more easily.  The arrow is stamped with Pewter ink.  I stamped "and be" with Canary and Poppy inks.

To color "courage," I first used my waterbrush and Pacifica inks to lightly watercolor each letter.  I then filled in the details with my Marina Shin-Han Twin Touch marker and Sapphire ink with my waterbrush.  For "kind" I used the same techniques with Canary and Poppy inks and Golden Yellow, Marigold, and Carmine Shin-Han Twin Touch markers.  I finished off this sign with Stargazer gems, Whisper thick twine, and blue burlap ribbon.

Thanks for hopping by!  Please leave a comment before heading off to Krista's blog to continue the hop!

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