Together Forever Layout

For my February Facebook Live scrapbooking class (the only way I am currently able to offer classes), we created this layout based on the Make It From Your Heart, Vol. 3, pattern 16.

My "students" got Letter Tiles stamp set & Thin Cuts stamped pieces to spell out "love" and "you" since they don't all have significant others.  I chose to use "Together Forever" stamped in Almond woodgrain on Almond cardstock and then with the letters stamped in black.

We used the Jan./Feb. Mix-Ins (Espresso, Toffee, and Peach) plus Peach and Sorbet cardstock.  (Thank you, For the Love of Color, for the color inspiration.) 

Have you ever thought of adding a shaker element to your scrapbook page?  I think it turned out cute!  I used the Happiness Lives Here Cardmaking stamp set & Heart Shaker Thin Cuts plus the heart shaker window kit to create that element.  (I added some silver sequins for some bling.)

I embellished my layout with cutout hearts from the shaker heart Thin Cuts and wooden hearts too.

I'm pretty excited to begin scrapbooking 2021 already!  (Don't be too impressed- most of 2019 & 2020 are still on my computer...)  Thanks for letting me share! 

It's Faux Technique Blog Hop

The February technique blog hop is all about how to fake it until you make it!  We are focusing on faux techniques.  (If you're already hopping, then you've probably arrived from Michelle's blog.  From here, you'll visit Tamara next.)

My card uses the Stamped Tiles stamps and Thin Cuts paired with the current Mix-In paper collection (Espresso, Peach, Canary, and Avocado).  Can you find my faux techniques?  The faux wood grain on the tiles was super easy thanks to the wood grain stamp in the set.  I stamped Almond cardstock with Almond ink and then cut out the tiles using the convenient Thin Cuts dies.  I also added some faux stitching on the sentiment band.  (That's the only stitching that I do!)

Thanks for letting me share a little faux technique idea or two with you.  Please leave a comment before hopping to Tamara's blog next!

H2H Challenges: Add a Border

 This week's Heart2Heart Challenge is to add a border, and my card is a subtle nod to that challenge (accepted).

This card developed because I have been playing with my new distress oxide inks, specifically Tattered Rose, Abandoned Coral, and Seedless Preserves for this background (spritzed with water of course).  I framed it with a piece of black cardstock cut with my Stitched Rectangles Thin Cuts.  The sentiment is from Melissa Esplin Sentiments with the addition of the February stamp of the month, Doodled Borders, in Grape, and the present in Black and Grape from the Winter Penguins stamp set.  A piece of Grape shimmer trims adds to my borders.

Be sure to check out all of the H2H Designers' projects and join us before the month is out!

Craft Roulette #46

My crafty friend Mary Gunn, founder and head professor of Funn University, hosts a weekly Friday night Craft Roulette "game show" on Facebook Live that can also be found on Saturdays on YouTube.  I have started watching/participating in the new year, and they are a lot of fun!  (You can find my first submission HERE.)  You will really be pushed outside your comfort zone!

Craft Roulette Challenge #46 requires:

• slimline card (8"x3.5")
• black and white plus one
• bouquet
• dry embossing

OK, the slimline card base was easy.  I remember that I have the new Spring Blossoms embossing folder that I've never used, so that would check off the bouquet and dry embossing.  Here's what I made:

I cut my White Daisy panel to size and then used the Fancy Borders Thin Cuts to cut the wavy edge before dry embossing with the Spring Blossoms embossing folder.  (I then went back and cut a piece of Ballerina glitter paper to try to match that edge.)  I almost used the embossing folder on the Ballerina cardstock instead of White Daisy, but I felt that would give less emphasis on the Black & White portion of the challenge.  I stamped Hello in Black (Sentiments by Melissa Esplin stamp set) and then added three flower sequins.  (I am in love with those little embellishments!)  The entire panel was matted onto a piece of Black cardstock and then onto my slimline card base.

If you'd like to try Craft Roulette, you can find it live on Facebook Friday nights at 6:30 Central time or on Saturdays at noon Central on YouTube.  Thanks for letting me share my creation with you!

February 2021 Close To My Heart Specials

Close To My Heart offers some incredible monthly specials, and February is especially wonderful!  As always, we have a fabulous stamp of the month that is only available this month.  You can purchase it outright for $18.95, or if you spend $50, you can purchase it for only $5.  (Become a VIP customer, and all of your stamp of the month purchases for the year with a $50 minimum purchase are FREE!)

February Stamp of the Month, Doodled Borders

Speaking of VIPs, VIP customers also have access to an exclusive collection with a workshop to be aired on Facebook Live on February 25!

VIP collection: So Good Together

Another awesome special is the new In This Together collection!  Learn more about it HERE.

Carryover specials include:

National Papercrafting Month HOME Project

Hello World wooden disks

Perfect Match collection

Bring Back My Pack: Blossom

You can find out more about each one HERE on my Maker website with convenient shopping links should you choose to purchase- just click on the Promotions tab.  

NOTE:  Everything you see here, with the exception of In This Together (through 3/31), will only be available through the end of February.

February Stamp of the Month Blog Hop: Doodled Borders

Close To My Heart has a cute stamp of the month for February, Doodled Borders!  Join me and about 20 other consultants for inspiration with this stamp set.  I created two cards to share with you.  (If you're already hopping, then you've probably arrived from Lauren's blog.  From here, you'll visit Gina's blog next!)

My first card pairs Doodled Borders with the Letter Tiles stamp set and Thin Cuts.  I knew that I wanted to use Almond for the tiles, so I decided to use the current Mix Ins palette of Peach, Canary, Avocado, Almond, and Black.  (I stamped my border stamps in that order.)  I used the lighter side of Avocado cardstock for my card base and then decided to stamp the little lines to better set off my HI.  The arrow is also from the Doodled Borders stamp set.  I used black shimmer trim (cut down skinnier) and a wooden heart to finish it.

My second card didn't turn out quite like I planned, and I don't think I'm finished with it, but I am sharing anyway!

I wanted to try to make a rainbow using the Sweet Safari palette of Candy Apple, Sundance, Avocado, Lagoon, and Bluebird (which my husband did not see at all on this card!).  At first I tried staggering the stamped Doodled Borders, but that didn't work out.  I felt that this sketch from Make It From Your Heart, Vol. 4 kind of gave me the look I wanted.  The sunburst covers the worst of my misaligned border stamping.

I cut the sun on White Daisy cardstock with my CTMH/Cricut Artbooking cartridge (because I don't yet have any Sundance cardstock) then sponged it with Sundance ink and a tiny bit of Candy Apple.  I added Sundance shimmer brush to the center.  You probably can't tell, but I painted Bluebird shimmer brush on the Bluebird strips.  I will probably add a sentiment as a banner on the bottom right, but since I couldn't decide what just yet, I've left it blank.  What sentiment would you add?  I'd love your suggestions!

Please leave a comment before you hop to Gina's Little Corner of StampinHeaven next!  Thanks for visiting!

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

H2H Challenges Partnered with Double Trouble: All You Need Is Love

 Heart2Heart Challenges has partnered with the Double Trouble challenge blog for this first February challenge.  The H2H challenge is "All You Need Is Love."  Double Trouble challenge #1 is a 3-2-1 challenge: 3 embellishments, 2 patterned papers, and 1 stamped image.  Their challenge #2 is to include a little love in the form of hearts.  I think my card meets the requirements nicely.

First off, I have to tell you how crazy I am about the adorable Winter Penguins stamp set.  I couldn't resist!  I am super excited to announce that our older daughter just got notification that she has been accepted into her first choice graduate school, the University of Georgia, so I made this card for her.  In case you couldn't tell, their colors are red and black.  

I used the Make It From Your Heart, Vol. 4 pattern 20 and the Perfect Match collection for the striped piece (patterned paper #1) and the plaid (patterned paper #2).  I used the lighter side of my Candy Apple panel to better match the collection and my little penguin.  In case you're wondering, her little hat is pink because that's my daughter's favorite color.  I used several of my Spectrum Noir markers to color that adorable little critter.  I'm counting my penguin as my one stamped image, even though I also stamped the sentiment (from the Jan.-Apr. Craft with Heart cardmaking subscription box).  My three embellishments are black shimmer trim (trimmed down to less than 1/4"), black enamel dots, and Thin Cut Heart Shaker Window cardstock pieces.

Be sure to check out all of the design team inspiration at both Heart2Heart Challenges and the Double Trouble Challenge Blog.  Won't you join us this month?