Stamp of the Month Blog Hop: Cherish the Day (November 2011)

Welcome to the November 2011 edition of the Close To My Heart stamp of the month blog hop! If you've already started the hop, you should have arrived here from Kami Welter's blog. From here, you will hop to Michelle Loncar's blog next.

My project is the first (and second) in a series of 6"x6" layouts for my upcoming "This Year"/"Through the Years" workshop (details coming soon). For the workshop, we will create a one-page 6"x6" layout for each month of the year using the November stamp of the month, Cherish the Day, plus other seasonal stamps. You'll notice that I chose this Thanksgiving's date to add to my November tag. I paired the November stamp of the month with the Treasure Life stamp set and the Dreamin' paper pack. (Come back for complete details about this fabulous workshop!)

Next is the October version, complete with pictures from this year's Hometown Halloween trick-or-treating on our local square from Saturday night. I used the fabulous Mischief paper pack paired with Cherish the Day.

Here is what the stamp set images look like to help you see how we'll use this stamp set at the workshop:
Thanks for stopping by! Visit Michelle Loncar's blog now.

{Layouts 2011 #71 & 72}

H2H Challenges: Color Challenge

Happy Halloween from the Heart 2 Heart Challenges Design Team! Today's color challenge actually kicks off our November challenges, so let's get going! Try your hand at the lovely fall color combo of Autumn Terracotta, Juniper, and Bamboo.

These colors stumped me at first until I pulled out my trusty Treasure Life stamp set. I decided to create another Double Z-fold card for this challenge. (If you'd like to see another card with this fold, click HERE.)

Before you check out the H2H Design Team's work (and our Guest Designer Allisa's), here are detail shots of my card (open, from left to right). Give this H2H Color Challenge and try, and link up your work at H2H Challenges!

More Holiday Magic

Time is running out to get your October stamp of the month, Holiday Magic! These cards all feature the same basic card design which mimics the Split Negative embossing technique that you see on the stocking (at right). If you're not familiar with this technique, just google it or let me know and I can help.

The second card used the lovely tree and a little Stardust glitz glitter gel to add a little sparkle. (In my experience, sometimes the rhinestones don't travel too well in the mail, so consider a liner to protect your card. Scrap paper inserted into the envelope will do.)

It's not too early to be thinking about handmade Christmas cards! You can save money while doing something you love! Let me show you how!

Pilot Mountain State Park (Layout Share)

Here's another Studio J layout that I recently ordered. The photos are from our trip to Winson-Salem back in the spring. (I ordered the other layouts from our trip earlier this year.) Isn't the Dreamin' paper collection beautiful? Like classic (paper, scissors, and glue) scrapbooking, I can work (and order) in Studio J in any order that I like. I can purchase layouts as I go, and as a member, I save by ordering up to 20 layouts on one order a month (free shipping and free page protectors).

Studio J tip: Clustering

You can layer and cluster the My Stickease artwork to create something unique. See how the right page has that gorgeous wildflower "bouquet?" Just keep adding the My Stickease flowers, adjusting their placement and size until you like the cluster. Many of the stems poked down onto the photo below the cluster, so once I was finished, I clicked on the photo and then "bring to front." Those pesky stems were conveniently hidden behind the photo.

Also, you may notice how I added brads as flower centers and a ribbon to the heart. It is so easy to select these from the Studio J menu and drag them where you want them. (You may want to zoom in to the area where you're working for more precision.)

If you haven't given Studio J a try, what are you waiting for? Upload some photos and play around with it. It doesn't cost a thing unless you order your JPEGs and/or layouts. (As a Studio J member, you get a 50% discount on your orders. Ask me how!)

{Layout 2011 #69}

H2H Challenges: Fall or Halloween

Happy fall, y'all, from the Heart 2 Heart Challenges Design Team! This week we're challenging you to share your fall or Halloween creations with us. Easy peasy, right? Just remember to use some wonderful Close To My Heart products in your creations and then link them up to the Heart 2 Heart Challenges blog.

You may recall the "Wicked" shoes that I posted a month or so ago (click HERE to check them- and the shoe templates- out). I used a different template to make this witchy version (which now sit in my living room). You could easily tuck a small bag of candy or a few candy bars into them for a delicious treat.

I printed the shoe template onto black cardstock, cut out, scored, folded and glued. The shoe liner template was printed onto the lovely Pear polka dot paper from the Sophia paper pack following the same procedure. I had to embellish them with these wicked scalloped circles and gorgeous rhinestone brads. Finally, a bow on the back of each finished them off beautifully.

If you'd like some more Halloween inspiration, check out my paper pumpkin, my Boo banner, and my spooky bottles and coffin boxes.

Now, step on over to the H2H blog to see our fabulous fall design team creations. Get your craft on and link up your fall or Halloween project too! Bwah ha ha ha ha!

Hunting Island 2011 (Layout Share)

Who would have thought that a winter kit (Wonderland) would work for beach pictures? I love the blues and browns, so I just went for it! I have used this paper pack in real life, so I already knew how well Lagoon accents this paper pack, which helps to add to the beach theme instead of the winter wonderland. You'll notice that I did not use very many My Stickease artwork because, well, most of them scream winter. With all the photos on this layout (11 total), artwork was rather unnecessary anyway.

Studio J tip: Want to add other colors to the color palette? Just click on the color tool and select away! (Sometimes, especially for the embellishments, you will have to select it in one of the assigned colors, but once you place it on your layout and click the tiny color palette, all 60 CTMH colors will be available and you can change your color then.)

{Layout 2011 #68}

Fall Card Class This Saturday!

It's time to get creative for fall! Join me to make four or five fall-themed cards for many occasions (with a peek at the upcoming holidays too) this Saturday from 2-4:30. We will learn how to make a Double Z-Fold card, shown here, plus some fun new stamping techniques (different ways to use the supplies you already have), like the Neutral Shadows technique on the second card (below).

We'll also play with one of my favorite new embellishments: Glitz Glitter Gel (in red, bronze, silver, and stardust)! You'll love the paper packs we'll be playing with too: Dreamin', Sonoma, Mischief, and Believe. (Believe me, you'll be dreamin' of many uses for these!)

Class will begin at 2:00 in my home. (Please let me know if you need directions.) The $5 class materials fee will be waived with a minimum $25 order. Please bring any or all of the following tools: your paper trimmer, scoring blade or bone folder, adhesive, and scissors.

Also, please RSVP no later than Friday, 10/21. As always, your cards can be customized to specific events, like thanks, birthday, thinking of you, etc.

Studio J Giveaway!

You know how much I love Studio J, and the Crafting Chicks are giving away a 5 Studio J layouts and an album! Go check it out and enter for a chance to win yourself. Good luck!

4th Grade Field Trip (Layout Share)

Can you tell how much I love Studio J online scrapbooking? It has truly given me creative freedom and allows me to scrapbook in minutes, not hours (unless I want to take hours).

When I uploaded my photos from chaperoning our younger daughter's field trip to Atlanta this past spring (Daddy went with #1 daughter when she was in 4th grade), the red, blue, and brown shades popped out to me. This Independence kit seemed like a perfect match to go along with the theme of visiting the Georgia State Capitol.

Here are a few fun Studio J techniques I used on this layout:

• My Stickease "doily" artwork behind photos: I loved the old fashioned doily, and ended up using them as photo mattes. Place them where you want them, then click "send behind" or "send to back" to place them behind the picture.
  


• Stitching: Studio J has added a "stitching" feature and there are several shapes to choose from. I stitched several stars on my layout to enhance the vintage, patriotic feel of the layout.

{Layout 2011 #67}

H2H Challenges: Numbers

This week's Heart 2 Heart challenge is to use NUMBERS (at least one) on your project. This layout was so much fun for me to make! Although this paper pack wasn't one of my all-time faves, it works so well with an American travel theme. I gathered pictures spanning three years of camping/travel photos to include on one layout. It truly shows "the way we roll!"

My use of NUMBERS helps to tell my story by labeling my photos.

Studio J tip: Use the number My Stickease to number your photos, then include a legend. You can resize the number Stickease to fit your journaling block. It may take a little patience, but the results are totally worth it.

Even though I didn't include it in my journaling, do you see the Barbies along for the ride? That is a family tradition that I will be sad to see go by the wayside.

On the left page, you can see how much our little traveler has grown from picture #1 (bottom right) to picture #3 (top left). Time flies when you're having fun!

Now, we'd like to see how you use NUMBERS in your project. Be sure to upload your creation to the H2H blog before the month's over. We have lots of treats (but no tricks) up our sleeve!

{Layout 2011 #70}

Reinker Techniques

Somehow I missed the sign up for this month's Close To My Heart Product Spotlight blog hop! The gals who actually are hopping are focusing on reinker techniques. Here's the card I made for my part of the hop. (If you'd like to check out the hop, go straight to Wendy's blog HERE.)

The piece across the bottom of this fall card uses the "cottoned color" reinker technique. Basically, you dab up some reinker with a cotton ball and then pounce it on your project. I used Desert Sand reinker and (non-CTMH) gold. It is very shimmery and pretty IRL.

This card starts with an A2 Desert Sand base with a matte of Sunset B&T. I used three different stamp sets (Love Birds and the retired Grown with Love and Flourished Blessings) and four different colors of ink (Desert Sand, Cranberry, Sunset, and Goldrush).

We are off to our local fall festival today! It has been really great having my cousin in town for a few days, and we hate to see her go. Hope you have a wonderful day no matter what you're doing!

Cute Cupcake Idea

One of the teachers' moms made these cupcakes for her daughter's class. (Do moms EVER get to outgrow doing things for their kids? LOL) Isn't it the cutest?!? A cupcake, chow mein noodles, melted icing poured over the top, pretzel sticks, red hots, mini marshmallows, and a little more frosting... Yummy-ness and adorable-ness all wrapped up in one!