More True Friends (Jan. Stamp of the Month) Cards

Here are the beautiful new samples from the stamp of the month swap that I participate in each month. You saw my 8 cards at the beginning of the month (featured on the blog hop and at the bottom right). All of us used the same stamp set, True Friends, and the same paper pack, Veranda. The individual beauty of each card just takes my breath away!


Top left to right: Bridget highlighted her sentiment with one of the brackets and an adorable butterfly found in the new Just Blooms Spring Blossoms. The details on Tanya's card (including some heat embossing) have to be seen to be believed. The front of Camy's card is actually a pocket holding the friend tag. Can you see how Chris paper-pierced her scalloped border?

Bottom left to right: Taralyn also used a Just Blooms flower on her card, and its center is filled in with Liquid Glass. Carla inked up a White Daisy crotched flower and mounted it on Juniper cardstock. Don't you like how Pam cut her sentiment into quarters?

I'm sure these cards have given you lots of great ideas. If you live nearby, I'd love to show them to you in person. (Sorry, out-of-town gals!)

I'm a Winner!

Imagine my surprise to find out that I won the weekly sketch challenge over at CPS (Card Positioning Systems)! I think it was just a random pick, but still, it's exciting! :) I will even be getting a prize. How fun! Thanks, Sarah, for the heads up.

CTMH New Product Blog Hop: One Stamp Set, One Card, Two Ways

Have you had a chance to check out the new Spring 2010 Close To My Heart Idea Book? (If not, let me hook you up!) How about a blog hop featuring all new products to whet your stampin' and scrappin' appetite? (If you found me from Jody's blog then you're hopping along. If you get stuck or lost along the way, come back here and click HERE for the list.)

For this hop, I created two cards based on the same Wishes 5"x7" sketch, "Bullseye," using the same new stamp set, One of a Kind (D1410). I love how changing the color scheme can totally change the look and feel of your project. Talk about versatility!

My first card uses the luscious new Veranda paper pack and the new Veranda Creative Basics papers/Creme Brulee ribbon. After stamping the foliage and flowers on the large rectangular Colonial White panel in Creme Brulee, Garden Green, Juniper, and Cocoa, I scissor-distressed the edge of the circle piece. Though Sparkles aren't a new product, you can now get Bitty Sparkles in bulk: 100 for only $2.95! I used them quite liberally on this project. I love accenting a Bigger Brad with a Sparkle.

My second card uses the same sketch but I pumped up the fun with the new Caboodle paper pack! I stamped the round geometric images in Crystal Blue, Sorbet, Sweet Leaf, and Buttercup on the circle piece. Mimicing the circles from the large rectangular B&T panel is a fun way to keep your project looking good. Moving the sentiment to the top left also changes the look of this card, and the Buttercup Heartfelt Whimsy arrow makes sure that you don't miss the message.

I couldn't resist a little bling, so I highlighted the center of each stamped circle with a little prisma glitter. (Just dot a little glue on each center, pour on the glitter, and dump off the excess.) The sparkly edges actually came about as a way to fix a mistake: I didn't realize I'd gotten some glue on a portion of one of the edges (still have no clue how that happened!) so I decided that if a little looked good, a lot would be terrific!

Thanks for checking out the versatilty of Close To My Heart's stamps and paper packs. What is your favorite new product, or what would you like to see featured here? Now hop on over to Antoinette's blog to check out her great new project!

Felicity Fun: Pierced Ears Layout

Have you seen the gorgeous Felicity paper pack and stamp set available only for National Papercrafting Month? I made good use of my snow day and got some scrapbooking done. It was way too cold for me to spend much time outside. ;)


The papers I used here are from the Sorbet part of the collection. Do you love the scallop on the left side? It is one of the die cuts of the Felicity special, cut in half. The left page itself is based on the Reflections sketch, "Half & Half- 4 Photo."

Even though I'm not crazy about cutting, it was totally worth cutting out all the flowers and medallions for this layout. Layering the pieces gave it extra pizzaz. The sparkles bling and buttons don't hurt either.

The right side layout also came from Reflections: "Triple Play- Basics." I really, really want to hoard that flowery paper on the top half, but I will force myself to use it on various projects. I still have a sheet and a half left... Again, this side is embellished with cut-out stamped images, sparkles, and buttons.

Techniques: I used my new Crop-o-Dile Big Bite to punch holes in the bottom left of the left page, bottom right of the right page, and the top right photo matte on the right page to mimic the polka dots on the B&T paper. For the two sets on the actual base pages of the layout, I glued some Sorbet card stock behind the layout to peek through the holes. I also used that fun paper pleating technique to make the "ribbon" running across the middle of the right page.

All supplies CTMH: Felicity paper pack and stamp set; Sorbet, Barn Red, and Desert Sand ink; Sorbet, Colonial White, and Desert Sand card stock; Sparkles; Bitty Sparkles; Basic Buttons

{Layout 2010 #1}

Snow Day!

We let out school early yesterday ahead of the snow (just in time), and after about an inch or so fell, school was called off for today.

The girls loved having enough snow for sledding! Also, having Ansley's BFF over for the day made it even more fun for them (and me too since they play well together and enterain each other pretty well).


It hasn't been above freezing for over a week, so our lake has frozen almost completely over. In the photo at right, much of the ice is snow-covered. The areas that appear to be water are actually more ice; only the patch at the left is open water. Since the lake has a river running through it, the moving water is keeping it from freezing solid (for now).

We're expecting below-freezing temps until Monday, so I don't know how soon this white stuff will go. It was fun today, but it's time for it to go!

This Month's Workshop: Topstitch

Join me on Saturday, 1/23, to create some or all of these lovely Topstitch projects! (You do NOT have to attend to purchase a workshop kit and instructions, but we have a great time getting together!) You can attend just the scrapbooking, just the cards, or both! Also, don't worry if you think the samples are too "girlie" for your taste: I will show you how to make it more masculine.

At 1:00, we will begin scrapbooking. If you preorder a kit, you will make both 12"x12" two-page layouts. (If you'd like to come to class without an advanced purchase commitment, you can pay $5 to make one of the layouts.)

At 3:30, we will switch over to the cardmaking portion of our workshop. With your kit pre-purchase, you will make six lovely cards (two each of these designs). (Again, you can do half the workshop- 3 cards, one of each design- for only $5 on the 23rd.)

Kit prepayment is due by 1/10/10.

Kit choices (all prices are before S&H and tax; you do NOT have to attend the workshop to purchase any of the kits!):

BUDGET KIT ($17.90): Topstitch Level 2 My Reflections paper packet (22 12"x12" sheets: 12 B&T Duos and 10 card stock) and Colonial White Mini-Medley Accents

*The Budget option does NOT include the workshop guide, which is fine if you're coming to class.

BASIC KIT ($29.95): All of the above, PLUS Love Is in the Air stamp set and workshop guide (retail value $32.05)

BEST KIT ($39.40): All of the above, PLUS Z1278 Dimensional Elements Hearts, Clear Sparkles, Embroidery Floss Neutral Asst. (All artwork shown was created with the Best option.)

Email me at haleyd@myctmh.com to reserve your kit and spot! Thanks.

Here are the "bonus" card samples that you'll be able to create with your kit purchase. Aren't they lovely?

Tuesday Tutorial: Cluster Stamping

Do you ever create something that you absolutely love? That's how I feel about this card!

It measures 4"x4", and because I was making it 40 times over for a swap (Yes, that's forty identical cards!), I used a technique called "cluster stamping."

It's really a simple technique, but it only works with clear stamps. (I sure couldn't have done this w/my old wood mounted ones.) Once you get a design that you like, you "cluster" the stamps on a block so that you can stamp several images at once. (You could cluster them first and just take what you get, but I kind of stamped out a protype, then was able to line up my uninked stamps on different blocks to achieve the scene I was looking for.)

I began by stamping the bottom leaves in Garden Green.

Next, I added my Creme Brulee accents.

Third came the Juniper images.

Finally, I finished it off with some Cocoa vines.

This card uses the One of a Kind stamp set, Veranda paper pack, Veranda Creative Basics paper pack, Just Blooms Spring Blossoms (Creme Brulee), and an Antique Copper brad.

A Paisley 3"x6" Card

Did I mention how excited I am that the price of A-size stamp sets DROPPED to only $7.95?!? In this day and age when everything seems to be going up but pay checks, it is terrific to see a price drop without the value lessening. I used my new A Paisley stamp set to create this little 3"x6" card. I love this size! It will fit in a small business envelope that you probably already have on hand.

My card is based on the Wishes "Noteworthy" sketch. To create the large paisley, I first stamped it in Chocolate on the Heavenly Blue B&T (Background & Texture) paper from the Topstitch paper pack. I also stamped it in Baby Pink on Colonial White card stock. I cut out the large Chocolate paisley and adhered a cut-out Baby Pink flower to it, then fastened it all together with a Baby Pink brad. The small paisley was stamped in Vineyard Berry on Baby Pink card stock and then cut out. I embellished the sentiment piece with a Cottage Edge Anchor, mixing the Baby Pink edge anchor with a Colonial White brad, all from the same pack. Isn't it fun to mix and match?

It's back to school today, so wish us all luck! Since hubby doesn't have any jobs pending, he is going to the dump, getting rid of the Christmas tree, splitting wood for the heater, etc., etc., etc. He is going to pick up the girls after school so that they don't have to spend the afternoon at the grocery store. Yeah for them and yuck for me. At least I've got this week's meals planned out and my coupons ready, purged, and organized. :) Never a dull moment...

Flying

My Dad called the other day and asked if the girls and I would like to go flying with him. Well, sure!!!

I got to sit in the co-pilot's seat, though I had no duties. (I'll leave the co-pilot's job to Mom, who got her license when I was tiny, or to my brother, who got his last year.)

The girls LOVED our little joy ride. When asked if they wanted to see anything else before landing, they both replied, "Sure!" They didn't have a specific destination; they just wanted to fly! Macey's favorite part was when we went fast at take off. She'll have to go on a real trip sometime to know what fast is!

Here is our little town, complete with old courthouse on the town square.

Our schools

You can't see our house because of the trees, but the white rectangle to the right of center is our camper. ;)

My sister's house is at the very top right, with my parents' house to the left (with the circular drive). The dock is the green roof at the end of the cove.

We live on a TVA lake, and the levels fluctuate quite a bit. Don't you love the red Georgia clay? People ask if the dropping lake levels bother me, but they don't at all. By the time the lake gets cold, it is too cold to use it! (We did see a few fisherman on the lake, but it is too cold for me! Today it didn't get above freezing.)

Banking over the lake

One of many mountain views

Coming in for a landing

Thanks, Grumps, for a great ride!

New Catalog Artwork

{Scroll down if you're looking for the January stamp of the month blog hop!}

Enjoy a slide show of some great projects made with new 2010 Close To My Heart products: stamp sets, paper packs, embellishments, oh my!

Thank you to the following consultants who contributed to this artwork: Anne Beck, Debi Barber, Teri Baxter, Michelle Bourlet, Diane Buzzell, Neely Dean, Haley Dyer, Francene Ferrante, Judy Faye Garner, Kelly George, Marianne Hancock, Cherri Hardcastle, Carol Harris, Carolyn Lincoln, Carol Loftus, Tambur McDonald, Stacy Park, Melissa Robinson, Pam Thorn, Xellina Wieland, and Sheila Wilkerson.

January Stamp of the Month BLOG HOP!

We're ringing in the New Year with a Close To My Heart January stamp of the month blog hop! (If you've come from Melissa's blog, welcome! If you're starting here, thanks for visiting and get hopping~ the link to the next participant is at the bottom of this post.)

The stamp of the month, True Friends, features four frames, three brackets, and four friendly sentiments. (Vist my website 1/1/10 for more info!)

My card is based on sketch #146 at Card Positioning Systems. (They're also offering a challenge right now to use ANY of their sketches, so go check them out.) I used the incredibly beautiful new Veranda paper pack (also available 1/1!). My card base and sentiment square are Colonial White, the center strip is Juniper card stock, and the rest are pieces of my Veranda sampler, so no two are exactly alike. The Veranda colors are Vanilla Cream, Creme Brulee, Juniper, Garden Green, and Cocoa. I would have never put these colors together, but aren't they lovely? Techniques on this card are pulled from the distressing kit: black stubble tool distressing, masking, and sponging.

My embellishments include using the ends of two of the bracket stamps to create the "flourishes" on my sentiment piece. (Not sure that really worked out, but I tried!) I also used an Antique Copper brad and some Olive felt circles from the Heartfelt Wonder collection.

Before you hop on to Terrie's blog, I'd love to know what you think of my set of cards. Thanks for hopping by! Enjoy the rest of the hop, and Happy 2010!!!!!!

HAPPY 2010!

{Scroll down if you're looking for- or are interested in- the blog hop!)

We wish you the very best in 2010!!!!

Do you make resolutions? If so, what are yours this year? I plan to work harder to organize our home. As we grow and change, what used to work doesn't any more, and some things never worked at all! LOL (We WILL get Macey moved into her own room this year!) I also want to find better balance while focusing more on my health and wellness (without short-changing my family). Whew. What are your goals or resolutions?

Also, I hope you enjoy this virtual Happy New Year card. It mixes a bit of old with some new. The old is the January Word Puzzle (now retired) and the Friendship Alphabet (for '10), which was a special last September. The new is this fun and funky You Rock paper (Sunflower, Olive, and Outdoor Denim inks). Check out the detail of my bling: ten tiny sparkles! Happy 2010!!!