Goodbye 2021!

It is really hard to believe that today is the final day of 2021!  What a year it's been for the entire world!  I am definitely choosing to focus on the positives.  Today is the final day to take advantage of all of the awesome CTMH December specials: the stamp of the month, Owl Love You Forever; Deck the Palms scrapbooking and cardmaking; Merry Making wooden ornament kits; VIP Flower Shop card kit; and the VIP Hip Hip Hooray workshop.

I made two of the layouts from the VIP Hip Hip Hooray workshop (and look forward to creating the rest of the projects soon).  My first layout features some fun we had tubing in Wyoming.  I didn't have enough pictures so I turned the left page's picture into a title.

Did you know that you can curve our My Acrylix stamps?  That arrow border is normally straight, but I bent it for the pennants.

Here's a close up of the fun, playful elements of the layout.

The second layout is a really fun pattern to make.  You need two 12"x12" cardstock bases.  (I swapped out Wildberry as provided for Sundance that better matched my photos.)  Add one piece of 12"x12" patterned paper cut on the diagonal (you will need a long ruler, a pencil, and scissors to accomplish this step) and another 9.5" square also cut on the diagonal.

My family and I wish you all the best in the upcoming year.  Goodbye, 2021, and HELLO, 2022!!!

Stitched Lattice Thin Cut Wedding Card

One of our daughter's dear friends got married last month, and we all had a wonderful time celebrating their wedding!  I made this card for the bride & groom.

I cut the white glitter panel with the Stitched Lattice Thin Cut die, but then I cut it so that I could mount it onto a 5"x7" card.

To hide the cut, I added a strip of Evergreen cardstock with pleated vellum behind the White Daisy strip.  I used my Sentiments by Melissa Esplin stamp set.  I cut the hearts with my Heart Shaker Thin Cut die.

If you look closely, you'll notice that I used the light side of Evergreen cardstock for the card front, but then I sponged Evergreen ink to give it an ombre effect.

I used the same stamp set for the inside sentiment and also added some die cut hearts to make confetti.  (Hopefully they didn't hate that part of their card!)

We happily send best wishes to the new Mr. and Mrs. Peney!

Map Your Journey- USA: North Dakota 6"x8" Layout

While I am making my family American Adventure album, I am also making 6"x8" albums for our daughters.  I gave them their albums for Christmas on the condition that I get to keep them until I finish them! 

I am keeping their layouts really simple and leaving room for their journaling (not mine) because of course their perspectives may be somewhat different than mine!

Did you make any gifts this year?  If so, what did you make?

Map Your Journey- USA: North Dakota Layout

Our family had a great time on our awesome American adventure this summer!  One highlight was going to North Dakota and hiking its highest peak, White Butte.

I used the As You Grow collection along with the Map Your Journey- USA stamp set.

I love using flip flaps to add more photos to my layouts.

Here's a close up of the Map Your Journey stamped accent.  I fussy cut both South and North Dakota from coordinating cardstock and then popped up ND with 3D foam tape.

I also used a few wooden arrows to accent the layout.

Thanks for letting me share part of our adventure with you!

December Technique Blog Hop: Accents of White

The December 2021 Technique Blog Hop is featuring our white gel pens and accents of white.  (If you're already hopping, then you've probably arrived from Cat's blog.  From here, you'll visit ScrappinKaty's blog next.)

For my card, I Thin Cut the deer on Pewter cardstock, stamped in black, and then colored with white gel pen and three Spectrum Noir markers.  I added "stitching" on the Glacier strips with the white gel pen.  I embellished the deer with Mint Stickles.

If you look closely, I added a little dot of white gel pen to the corner of the deer's eye, which really brought it to life.

Here's another card I made with the Wonderland collection and the Deck the Palms Cardmaking stamp set.  (You can learn more HERE.)  I used the white gel pen to color the white parts of the hat and beak.

Please leave a comment before hopping on to ScrappinKaty's blog next!

December Stamp of the Month Blog Hop: Owl Love You Forever

Welcome to December!  (Where has this year gone?!?)  Close To My Heart has an adorable stamp of the month, Owl Love You Forever.  (If you're already hopping, then you've probably arrived from Melinda's blog.  From here, you'l visit Gina's Little Corner of StampinHeaven next.)

I wanted to pair our new Mocha and Capri together, so I began by stamping the owl in Mocha then coloring with my Gold Brown and True Blue Spectrum Noir markers.  (I added a little Yellow Gold for the beak.)  I played around with several distress oxide inks to create my background, including water splatters plus Sapphire, Lagoon, and Clear shimmer brush splatters.  I stamped my sentiment in Mocha, added some True Blue color, then finished off my card with Capri shimmer trim and Mocha glitter paper (plus a little wooden heart button).

I'm really looking forward to playing with this set all month long.  Please leave a comment before you hop on over to Gina's blog next!  Happy December!