Friday, June 30, 2023

Dream Maker Celebrate Card

The papers of the gorgeous Dream Maker collection have sold out already, but hopefully you'll find a little inspiration from this Celebrate card.


I used the Pennant Alphabet Thin Cuts to cut these banners quickly and easily.  What are you celebrating?

Thursday, June 29, 2023

Hey Handsome, Happy Birthday!

 Here's a fun, quick card I made for one of the guys in my life using the Hey Handsome collection.


I added some Melon shimmer trim for a little sparkle and pizzazz, because every birthday deserves that!


Hey Handsome Travel Layout

The Hey Handsome collection isn’t just for the guys in your life! I thought it paired well with pictures of our visit to the USS Alabama and the Rosa Parks Museum.


The pattern for this layout is from Make It From Your Heart, Volume 3, Pattern 22.  One quick tip for this layout is that I used the zip strip already attached to the patterned paper for the two top strips, rather than cutting off the zip strip and using it somewhere else!  I used a few acrylic stars from the Hey Handsome embellishments and a small black enamel dot star also.  The title was stamped with one of my favorite (retired) alphabet stamp sets.

The Hey Handsome collection is only available for a few more days, so be sure to grab yours today!

Tuesday, June 27, 2023

Hello Darlin’ Floral Card

This card doesn't have a sentiment (yet) because I'm not sure who will be getting it or why.  I started with the Change the World stamp set (which supports Operation Smile) and the Hello Darlin' collection


After stamping the florals in black, I colored them with my Spectrum Noir TriBlend alcohol markers.  The final touch- which adds so much- was to add some outlines with a white gel pen to try to match the Hello Darlin' floral.  I love what a difference that little touch made!

I'm linking my card to the Color Dare Challenge #555 to use at least 3 of the four colors.




Sunday, June 25, 2023

Cosette Scrapbooking Workshop: New Orleans

When I bought the Cosette Scrapbooking Workshop, papers, etc., I planned to use them with our photos from our trip to Paris, but that was a bigger undertaking than I was ready for.  Instead, I decided that they would be a good fit for our trip to New Orleans (Spring Break 2018).


My first layout will use 4"x6" flip flaps on the right page to add more photos of the beautiful cathedral and our visit to Lafayette Cemetery No. 1.


After I started layout 2, I realized that I would like to add a photo of the Bourbon St. sign that I took but hadn't yet printed, so I just jotted a note on one of the included photo place holders, and I will add that photo when I get it printed.  (I also had a lot of fun journaling our dining experiences on this page on the various tags.)


Use your favorite photo collage app to make 3 x 4 photos!  Also, don’t be afraid to use those photo placeholders in the kit as photo mats. Just cut your pictures a quarter inch shorter on two adjacent sides.


I have one more layout to make of this trip of our stop to tour the USS Alabama and our visit to the Rosa Parks Museum in Montgomery.  Our scrapbooking workshops are such a fun way to create three related (or unrelated) gorgeous layouts!


Tuesday, June 20, 2023

Botanical Shadows Card Grateful for You Card

Here's yet another card with the pretty June stamp of the month, Botanical Shadows.


After stamping the border in Sage and Pine ink, I sponged Melon and Desert Rose then spattered some Desert Rose shimmer brush.  The sentiment was stamped in Black, mounted on a piece of Hey Handsome, with a Melon ribbon knot.

Monday, June 19, 2023

Botanical Shadows Layout

When I first saw the June stamp of the month, Botanical Shadows, I knew I wanted to try a layout with a circle of blended ink and one of the border silhouette stamps.  Here's what I created with blending brushes, Flamingo, Melon, Sundance, Capri, and Sapphire inks (plus black for stamping).


Here's a close up of the left hand page.  (I created a circle stencil with my CTMH/Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge.)  As I blended ink in the circle, I also tried to ink a piece of 3"x12" cardstock in the same manner for the right side.

I used embellishments from the (retired) Change of Scenery kit, a die cut from the recent Cardstock Carnival special, a few black acrylic arrows, and a few black enamel dots.

The background woodgrain paper and strip on the right side are from the (now retired) Autumn paper collection. 

I really like how this layout turned out, and it's even prettier in person.  Thanks for letting me share!

Sunday, June 18, 2023

This Guy Layout

Today I’m celebrating our guy with this layout that uses the Hey Handsome collection and was modeled after a layout from the recent album retreat.  I really liked the composition of this sketch.


Using Rosemary ink and a blending brush, I added texture to both of the White Daisy base pages.  For the left page, I decided to make 3.5" square mats and then lots of banners/flags from scraps of Hey Handsome paper.  I ended up stamping my title and journaling directly onto my layout.  (I did write out my text on scrap paper first to collect my thoughts.)


For the right page, I decided to use 4"x4" flip flaps to add more fun photos of our guy.

I used three 6"x6" squares to create the diamond background.  All of the black acrylic embellishments are also from the Hey Handsome collection.

Happy Father's Day to this guy!  He's a keeper!


Thursday, June 15, 2023

Botanical Shadows Meets Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge #529

When I saw the Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge #529, I knew that I had to play along with the materials that were still out on my craft table: the June stamp of the month, Botanical Shadows; Flamingo, Melon, Sundance (and black) inks; and blending brushes.

Here is the original sketch:



Here is a close-up of the spine circle with the splatters of Sundance and Flamingo shimmer brushes.  (I made a stencil by cutting a circle out of a card front panel, then used washi tape to hold it in place on my actual card panel.  I used the blending brushes to add the ink in the circle, then spattered the area with shimmer brushes before removing the stencil.). Finally, I stamped the floral sprig from Botanical Shadows but then decided to use the "thinking of you" sentiment from Floral Sentiments.)


Thanks for letting me share another June stamp of the month card with you and this pretty sketch!  (If you're interested in any of these products, you can find them HERE.)

 

Wednesday, June 7, 2023

Botanical Shadows Cards (Set 2)

This second set of cards uses a much different technique for a much different effect with the June stamp of the month, Botanical Shadows.


To create the backgrounds on these cards, I mixed Robin's Egg Liquid Pearls with a little bit of water to thin it out.  Then, I used a leftover plastic baggie, crumpled it up, pounced it in the Liquid Pearl mix, and then pounced it on my card fronts. 

Hopefully you can see the iridescent shimmer of the Liquid Pearls at this angle!  I stamped the two different floral stamps to create the pretty cluster.


The second card uses the "leftovers" of the Liquid Pearls and then just a singular stamped image.  I finished it with a knot of (retired) black velvet ribbon.


I decided that I liked the simplicity of both of these cards and will stamp a sentiment on the inside when I decide what I need.  Which card do you prefer?

Monday, June 5, 2023

Botanical Shadows Cards (Set 1)

The June stamp of the month, Botanical Shadows, is a beautiful set of stamps.  Here are two cards that I made using very similar techniques.


I made a mask of cardstock by cutting the oval from the Cosette Cardmaking stamp set and Thin Cuts and used blending brushes to add ink in the oval window.  Then I stamped the floral and sentiment in Black and matted the panel on Black cardstock and then adhered to the card front.  

For the first card, I used (from the bottom up) Melon, Sundance, and Lagoon, then embellished with coordinating enamel dots.

The second card shows my process, using (again bottom up) Capri, Bluebird, and Sapphire.

After I removed my stencil, I thought that the oval needed something else.

I put the mask back on and then splattered white gloss spray onto the blue shadows.
I love how that turned out!  Here is the final version of the second card.

You can find the June stamp of the month, Botanical Shadows, HERE, and the blending brushes HERE.

Which card do you prefer?

Sunday, June 4, 2023

Ghost (the Cat) Layout

In honor of “Hug Your Cat Day,” I finished this simple layout about Ghost, the cat who adopted us. 


I decided to use a grid of squares, so I ordered my 4"x4" photos through my favorite Persnickety Prints app.  I selected the color scheme of Honey Butter, Black, and White.  (The Honey Butter chevron paper is from Flower Shoppe.)  All of my stamps are retired, but I think they worked really well!  I added a simple black acrylic heart as the only embellishment to keep the focus on the photos and journaling.

Saturday, June 3, 2023

Happy Birthday Card

 Today I'm wishing my nephew a very happy 15th birthday! 


This card uses the fun (but somewhat laborious) acetate technique.  Can you see the shine from the acetate on this second photo?


I used a variety of papers 1/2" strips from Hey Handsome and Celebrate You, plus some additional Necatarine cardstock.

Thursday, June 1, 2023

Hello, June!

 Hello June and happy summer!  Close To My Heart has some beautiful special offers this month!

The June stamp of the month is aptly named, Botanical Shadows.  I am really looking forward to creating with this set!


June is also a celebration of our color of the year with Melon Mania!  In addition to our current Melon products, CTMH has designed exclusive products available this month only (including an adorable stamp set).  You can find all the Melon Mania HERE.


Finally, the gorgeous Dream Maker collection is still available through the end of the month, while supplies last.  Oh my goodness, this collection is even more beautiful in person!