May Stamp of the Month: Time to Celebrate

The May stamp of the month is a great set of sentiments that you can use year round.  Join this blog hop for great ideas!  {If you're already hopping, then you've probably arrived from Krista's blog.  From here, you'll visit Janet next.}

I made this double-easel fold card for our daughter's 19th birthday (tutorial info below) using the new Aurora paper pack. 

The balloon shaker window was supposed to highlight the gorgeous northern lights paper but didn't do that as well as I had hoped.  I stamped the sentiment in Sapphire.  I wish you could see how pretty the Lagoon clear acrylic arrow is in person!

Here you can see the main front panel with the folded part pulled down.  I drew the balloon string and then added Sapphire crochet thread "bow."  Don't you live the silver star confetti in the balloon shaker window?

I framed the inside panel with more of the northern lights pattern and stamped the sentiment in Sapphire and Evergreen.

If you're not interested in the tutorials, I'd love for you to scroll to the bottom to leave a comment and then go visit Janet's blog next on the hop.

To create the double-easel fold card, I started with a piece of 4-1/4"x11" Evergreen cardstock that I folded in half to make a top-fold card.  (You can enlarge the photo below to see the pieces and dimensions also.)  The front folded panel is a piece of 4"x10-1/4" Sapphire cardstock scored at 5" and 2-1/2".  The patterned paper was 3-3/4"x7-1/4" that I cut into two pieces, 3-3/4"x5" and 3-3/4"x2-1/4".

For the Sapphire panel, fold the "middle" score up in a valley fold and the smaller piece down in a mountain fold.  If you're not making the shaker "balloon," then don't cut the circle out of the patterned paper front panel.

I thought I would use a balloon Cricut cut for my birthday balloon but didn't like any of my choices.  Instead, I used a circle Thin Cut placed where I wanted the balloon to float.  On the Sapphire base, I added a square of the northern lights paper that I used Sapphire, clear, and Wisteria shimmer brushes on to add more sparkle.

Because our shaker window foam and acetate kits are much larger than I needed, I used the next larger circle Thin Cut and cut the size I needed from the original acetate circle. At first I thought the acetate had cracked, but when I peeled off the clear film backing, it was perfect!  Next, I placed my cutout circle where the window should be and then built my circle of 3D foam tape to contain the glitter around the cutout.

Next, I removed the cutout circle guide, peeled off the foam tape backing, added in the silver mini star confetti, and adhered the acetate circle.  Finally, after drawing the balloon string, I added the front decorative panel over the window.  (Next time- if there is one- I will use foam tape across the top of the panel to help offset the depth of the balloon.)

Thank you for letting me share a part of our daughter's quarantine 19!  Thank you in advance for taking the time to leave a comment before you hop on over to Janet's blog to continue the May Time to Celebrate blog hop.

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

Omaha Beach Layout

We were so fortunate to be able to travel to Europe last summer to meet up with our older daughter at the end of her study abroad in Germany.  We loved every leg of our trip, but visiting the D-Day beaches was especially meaningful.  Reading about it in a book is much less powerful than being there!

I used the Seas the Day collection and the special Poppy Sentiments (which retire tonight!) to commemorate our visit and remember the fallen.

My layout sketches come from the retired Reflections how-to guide.  I tried to keep my layout fairly simple to focus on my photos and memories.  

I used Fern and New England Ivy for the "grass" and stalks.  The poppies are a combination of stamp rolling in Peach, Smoothie, and Candy Apple.  The great thing about using one of CTMH's paper collections is that they have developed a gorgeous color palette.

Be sure to experiment with your base pages.  I tried White Daisy, Mink, and Mint, and the light side of the Mint, along with the Sapphire photo mats, really made my pictures pop.  To create my title, I cut the letters with my CTMH/Cricut Artbooking cartridge and decided to use the negatives.  I embellished my layout with the Seas the Day and White enamel dots, along with some wooden arrows.

Thank you for letting me share part of our trip with you!  If you need any CTMH products, please let me know!  If you haven't marked yourself as "going" to the Close To My Heart National Scrapbooking Day live event this Saturday, be sure to do so!  You will be eligible for prizes, even if you're not online!  Happy National Scrapbooking Day Saturday!

Amsterdam Rijksmuseum Three-Page Layout

Maybe a better name for this layout might be a two-page-plus layout!  I had so many pictures from our incredible visit to the famous Rijksmuseum that I added pieces to make my two-page layout more like three pages in two.  What do I mean?  Check it out!

At first glance, all you see are two 12"x12" pages, but there's really more!   First the left flap opens wide to reveal the stained glass window and journaling.  The left side of the right page is actually a page protector plus, and here you see it folded over onto the right page to reveal the back side.

Next is the right page with the left flap closed and the page protector plus.

Here is the left flap opened.

 Now you can see the right page and the back side of the page protector plus.

I used the Yesterday & Today paper pack with the coordinating wooden shapes and gold glitter gems, plus black glitter paper.

Thanks for letting me share how you can extend beyond two pages!

Welcome to Amsterdam Layout

The Yesterday & Today collection is perfect for the pictures of our family's trip to Amsterdam last year on our Europe 2019 trip.

I added in Ruby cardstock and Mint from the Mix-In paper pack to highlight our first evening in Amsterdam.

The lock and clipboard clasp are from the Yesterday & Today foil die cuts, and the smaller clip is a sticker from the corresponding sticker sheet.

I love the versatility of the Story by Stacy Simply Said stamp set.  I love the little heart accent!

Beautiful Friendship Mix-Ins Birthday Card

A dear friend and fellow tea lover recently celebrated her birthday, so I pulled out my Beautiful Friendship stamp set and Thin Cuts (retired) to make her a special card.

I used the Sapphire, Mint, and Saffron papers from the current beautiful Mix-In paper pack to make this gatefold card.

The Mint shimmer brush added some sparkle!

I used my Shin-Han Twin Touch markers to color the teapot and cup.

White enamel dots added a little dimension to finish off her card.  Please join me in wishing this sweet lady a very happy birthday!

Tuxedo Fold Birthday Card

My sweet mother-in-law recently celebrated her birthday, and since we couldn't spend it with her, I decided to make an extra-special card for her.  I fell in love with the tuxedo fold card, and this is what I made for her.

It even folds flat for mailing.

I used the Celebrate Today collection and my CTMH/Cricut Artistry collection for the cuts.  I had fun embellishing the die cuts with various shimmer brushes.  (I don't love the Sappphire shimmer on Bluebird card stock, but what is done is done.)  I added a few white enamel dots for some dimension.

Honestly, this card was a challenge to make!  I watched a great video tutorial HERE, but it turns out I didn't have the correct card stock measurements.  The third try was a charm!  Then, my pop ups didn't work quite as well as I had hoped, but they're still pretty cute.  If you'd like to learn how, I'm adding a photo tutorial below.  I'd love a comment!

Begin with a piece of 8.25"x12" card stock for your card base.  (I chose Lemonade).  Score vertically at 2-3/4", 5.5", 8-1/4", and 11"

Turn your card stock 90 degrees.  On the left side (based on this view), mark at 2-3/4" and then score the first section only at 5.5"  On the opposite side (the right side in this view), score the 1" panel only at 5.5" and then score the 1" and next section at 2-3/4".  Now make the diagonal scores from the top center down to the left mark and from the top center down to the bottom right score mark.

 Cut away the top portion of the 1" section and then trim the tab at an angle (top and bottom).  The cuts are marked with Xs.

Next, cut out both top squares (first sections) and the triangles in the center sections.  These pieces are marked with Xs.

Now fold the "house" in half.  All of the vertical score marks get folded in to make the box.

Fold the triangle flap "lapels" out or down.

I forgot to include the dimensions for the cross pieces to make your pop ups, so be sure to watch the excellent video tutorial too!  Thanks for letting me share!

CTMH Technique Blog Hop: Heat It Up

This month's technique hop is featuring heat embossing!  If you've never tried it (or even if you have), heat embossing is practically magical.  (If you're already hopping then you've probably arrived from Kim's blog.  From here, you'll visit Lauren next.)

I ended up making two similar panels because I didn't like the first (bottom) one, but decided to share both because they are (in my opinion) both pretty after all!

To begin, I stamped the flowers and leaves from the Yesterday & Today Cardmaking set with Versamark ink and then sprinkled white embossing powder all over, then I used my heat tool to melt/set the powder to a slick, shiny white finish.

For the first panel, I painted watercolors and then stamped the sentiment in Candy Apple, but I thought the painting was too dark and set it aside. 

 I repeated the process but then sponged Canary and Candy Apple ink over my heat embossed images.  With either the paint or the ink, but sure to buff the colored areas with a tissue or paper towel to pull the media off of the embossed images.

The inked version is much softer than the watercolor.  Now that they are both dried, I can't decide which I like better, so I will finish the watercolor panel by mounting it on Canary from the Mixed-In paper pack with a band of Candy Apple card stock then embellish with white & gold ribbon and gold gems.

Which do you like better?  The more vibrant watercolor or the lighter sponged ink?  Thanks for visiting!  Please leave a comment before hopping over to Lauren's blog to continue!

Happy Easter!

My family and I wish you a very happy Easter!

The Easter Window stamp set is so pretty in and of itself!  I ended up coloring the window image with my TriBlend Markers: Citrus Blend, Dull Green (for the lily stems and leaves), Light Green, Orange, Ice Blue, and Purple.  I love how the three marker shades can give you even more shades of the color family!

I added clear shimmer to the center cross piece.  After cutting out the window, I glued it onto Thistle cardstock, then added gold shimmer trim to continue the rays of sunlight from the stamp.

Here's a closeup of the variations of colors of these amazing markers.

Again, my family and I wish you a very happy Easter, especially in these unusual times!

CTMH Workshop Kits & Guides

In these strange times of physical distancing and staying at home, CTMH workshop kits make great projects that you can complete on your own!  On my Facebook business page (Click on the link to join me there!), I shared the contents of the adorable Seas the Day Cardmaking Workshop Kit.

Did you know that you can download the workshop guides without making a purchase?  Perhaps you like the style of the cards but aren't into the nautical theme?  Recreate them with your own paper and stamps!  I made a short video that you can watch HERE to show you how.  If I can help you with your crafty needs in any way, please reach out to me!

April Stamp of the Month Blog Hop: O-fish-ally Awesome

The April stamp of the month, O-fish-ally Awesome, is pretty awesome!  Please swim through this blog hop of "fin-tastic" ideas! {If you're already hopping then you've probably arrived from Gina's blog.  From here you'll visit Michelle Loncar's blog next.}

My daughter suggested that I channel "Finding Nemo" so I definitely went that route with these two Marlon and Dory fish and the awesome "just keep swimming" sign.  After stamping the fish on White Daisy cardstock with Black ink, I colored them with my TriBlend markers to resemble the Disney characters then fussy cut them out.  I stamped the sign on Mink cardstock and then shaded it with my BrownGray TriBlend.  (The sentiment is Sapphire to match the Seas the Day collection.)  A little Sapphire crochet thread finished it.

If you look closely, you can see that I stamped "waves" with Mint ink on the Mint cardstock strip and bubbles (in Black) for "Dory."

Thanks for stopping by!  Please leave a comment before "swimming" on over to Michelle Loncar's blog.

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

Anne Frank House Layout

Last year, we were very fortunate to get to visit Amsterdam and to go to the Anne Frank House.  You'll notice a lot of handwritten journaling on this layout about the visit.

Here is the two pages with the Pocket Plus addition covering the right page and then flipped to cover the left page (as if you were flipping through my album).

In keeping with our Amsterdam theme, I am continuing to use the Yesterday & Today collection. I like how well it suits my photos!

Here's a close up of the left page and Pocket Plus Memory Design 2...

...and the right page with the back of the Pocket Plus on the left.

Getting to visit was an extraordinarily moving experience.  I'm so glad we were able to visit it with our girls.

What are you currently scrapbooking?