Scrap Our Stash November Challenge: Tear It Up!

This month's Scrap Our Challenge is to tear it up!  Tear your paper to add texture and dimension to your layout without tons of bulk.

I love creating natural elements like mountains and waves with torn paper.  Tearing can really soften straight edges.  If your cardstock has a white core, when you tear the paper toward you, the white core will show.  If you don't want the white core to show, either tear your paper away from you, or turn it over and tar it toward you on the back of the piece you plan to use.  That is how I created my "mountains" for my layout of our trip to Chimney Rock State Park in North Carolina.  To give the mountains further definition, I inked the torn edges in Twilight ink on the Twilight cardstock.

 The photo collage was made through Walmart.com when I uploaded and purchased my photo prints.

This layout uses the Close To My Heart Clementine paper pack, the Old World Alphabet stamp set, and the Cottage Assorment of fabric and button flowers.  I used Twilight, Creme Brulee, and Saddle inks too.

We'd love for you to tear it up this month and share your layout at Scrap Our Stash!  All products and skill levels are welcome!

Avonlea Scrapbook Class: The Biltmore {Layout Share}

Last weekend, the lovely ladies in my scrapbook club created this layout featuring the Avonlea paper pack, the Sweet Memories stamp set, and a sketch from the how-to guide, Make It From Your Heart, Vol. 1.

We worked on matching up current CTMH ink colors with this paper pack with its exclusive colors that don't have matching inks.  We found that Twilight, Olive, and Juniper look nice with this collect of paper, so we stamped a row of cameos with Slate, Twilight, and Juniper.

We also had fun with the lace stamp to make a border across the bottom of both pages.

We used different ribbon instead of paper to create the top layers of this layout sketch.

I couldn't resist accenting my cameos with little sparkles.  All of the metal accents are from the coordinating, gorgeous Avonlea Brocade Assortment.

Heart 2 Heart Challenges: November Inspiration

If you're already a fan of Heart 2 Heart Challenges, then you may have seen this week's news: Our fearless and fantastic leader, Mary, is stepping down from the H2H blog at the end of the year.  (She is no longer a CTMH consultant and is being led in other directions at this stage of life.)  Never fear, though, because Yours Truly is stepping up to try to fill her mighty big shoes and keep H2H moving forward.  Shirley Ross is coming along with me as my fearless and inspirational sidekick. 

Now on to this week's challenge: Use this photo in any way that strikes you to spark your CTMH creativity.

I fell in love with the color palette and those darling owls.  Unfortunately, none of my owls seemed to "work" for me, so instead I created this thank you card.

It uses the A Little Thanks stamp set, and I literally pulled scraps of Champagne, Chocolate, and Topiary (retired B&T) to fit card sketch #28 from the Make It From Your Heart, Vol. 1 how-to guide.  I stamped the edges of my card base with a floral spray from this stamp set in the same colors as the papers. 

For the sentiment, I first inked it up in Pear and then rolled the edges in Chocolate.  (Yum!)  I cut it out along the stamped scalloped edges and then used Liquid Glass to adhere the two cardstock pieces to the burlap ribbon and then the ribbon to the Topiary panel.  I also used Liquid Glass to hold the button and Chocolate striped grosgrain ribbon.  A little Almond Glitter Glitz Gel gave the sentiment a bit of sparkle.

If you'd like more inspiration or are ready to play along, head on over to H2H.  We're so thankful for our readers and participants! 

Hurricane Relief Effort, CTMH-Style

The news of the destruction and devastation of Hurricane Sandy has been overwhelming.  So many lives have been hurt or altered by this storm.  Close To My Heart is helping the relief efforts, and you can too!

Our November promotion is called "Capture the Date, Capture the Savings," and its key player is the November Stamp of the Month, which is a simply fabulous calendar set you can see pictured above. When you make a $50 purchase, you can get this stamp set for a mere $5 under our generous Stamp of the Month program. You can then purchase one additional stamp set from the Idea Book for 50% off. From November 1 through 30, we will be donating $1 from every sale of the November Stamp of the Month set to the American Red Cross for hurricane relief.

 Every dollar counts when it comes to these massive scale relief operations, which is why I hope all of you will participate in this month’s promotion in addition to whatever donations you make independently. Let’s work together to help our friends and neighbors move forward!

November Stamp of the Month Blog Hop: Capture the Date

You are sure to get lots of great ideas to use with the Close To My Heart November stamp of the month, Capture the Date, by hopping along this month's blog hop!  If you're already hopping, then you should have arrived here from Laila's blog.  You can continue on to the next blog and circle around by going to Laurie Newton's blog next.

If you're familiar with my blog, then you probably know that I am on a year-long scrapbooking journey I've dubbed "12 for '12."  (I even have a Facebook group for those interested.)  Each month, I am creating a "highlights" layout to remember all the big (and little) things we've done.  I started this last year and wish I had started them so much sooner!  Here's my title page for this year's album:

I began with two of my favorite family photos from this year, the gorgeous Avonlea paper pack, and a single sketch from the Make It From Your Heart, Vol. 1, how-to guide.  All of the stamping is from the November stamp of the month, Capture the Date.  I was going for a "subway" style of artwork.  Not sure I succeeded but I like the way it turned out anyway.

For both of the columns of months, I stamped them directly from the carrier sheet- not on a block!  CTMH had them lined up so beautifully, and I knew that I'd never get them perfectly straight again on my own!  I cut the banner and journaling block by hand (and then matted the block on some of the light green cardstock in the Avonlea paper pack.)  Of course I had to bling this layout up- it is the title page and all!  A little shimmer trim, some sparkles, and a beautiful Avonlea Brocade Assortment medallion (which I also blinged up some more with sparkles).

Thanks for hopping by!  Go visit Laurie's blog next to Capture the Date!

All supplies from CTMH: Capture the Date (Nov. 2012 stamp of the month); Avonlea paper pack; Twilight, Chocolate, Slate, Olive, and Sweet Leaf inks; Chocolate marker; Avonlea Brocade Assortment; sparkles; silver shimmer trim

Trick or Treat!

Tonight is our town's annual Halloween on the Square, which is great (safe) fun for kids of all ages.  We are going to be working on behalf of our 4-H club in the "Haunted Fort" so if you live around here, come join us!  There will definitely be fun for all ages, from the Haunted Fort to the carnival-type games, plus concessions for all.

This adorable trick-or-treat stamp is a sneaky peek at the upcoming Close To My Heart December stamp of the month, Year-Round Cheer.  I just love this cat!  I used the Moonlight paper pack and some black tulle, plus a little Liquid Glass and Silver Glitter Glitz Gel.

Happy Halloween to you!  Don't forget that there's also still time to play in the Heart 2 Heart Challenges Halloween/pumpkin challenge.  See you there too!

H2H Challenges: Halloween

It's Halloween time at Heart 2 Heart Challenges!  Share your adorable Halloween or pumpkin-themed projects with us this week on our site.

My Hallween decor needed a little boost, and with all the cute owls you see everywhere these days, I couldn't resist using the "hooray for owl-o-ween" chipboard piece from the CTMH Moonlight Dimensional Elements on a chipboard My Creations (large) banner.  This project came together really quickly and easily using the coordinating Moonlight products.

To embellish the pennant, I made a rosette out of our black tulle ribbon (just gathered an edge and sewed it right up) and a medallion out of strip of Moonlight paper.  I added black sparkles for the owls' eyes and then randomly placed green and clear sparkles all over the background.  Do you see the silver trim running across the center?  It helped to jazz up the piece while anchoring my medallion.  The final touch was a little Liquid Glass on the owl beaks and some Green Glitter Glitz around the edge of the sentiment.

Be sure to check out all of the inspiration from our talented Heart 2 Heart design team.  We can't wait to see what you make!  One lucky player will be next month's guest designer, so get your fall project linked up.

Angry Birds Birthday Card

How can my nephew be six?!?  Yesterday was his actual birthday, but we celebrated last weekend with an Angry Birds birthday party.  Here's the card that I made for him.

 I didn't have a pattern, but I looked at several different Angry Bird images.  I used my circle and oval cutter plus my 1-1/4" circle punch (for the whites of his eyes), my small circle punch for the black eyes, and my 2" scalloped circle punch to make the "feathers" for his tail.  The other pieces were cut from cardstock.  It was  just a little trial and error but super fun to make!  I used CTMH White Daisy, Black, Holiday Red (retired), and Sunny Yellow (retired) cardstock.

 Here's his card attached to his present.  I decided that the card itself was enough embellishment for the package.  Boys don't need bows, right?  Especially six-year-olds who are going to rip the paper right off to get to what's inside!  (Funny story: I couldn't find the regular tape so I used scrapbook tape.  That makes opening a gift very difficult since that stuff holds TIGHT!)

Here's my sister and her sweet family.  I love these guys so much!  Happy birthday, Doodle Bug! 

Cricut Artiste Gift Card Holder

One of my downline (Hi, June!) gave me this Cricut Artiste envelope and Creme Brulee bow that she turned into a gift card holder.  I used the Clementine paper pack and 4 My Friend stamp set to personalize my version.  Isn't that paper bow adorable?  The shimmer brad actually holds the 3-D bow in place. 

God Bless You Card

This card will be going out in the mail this week to a very special lady (my nephews' nana) who is undergoing breast cancer treatment right now.  (She's doing well with her treatment but is understandably tired.)  I hope this will be a little sunshine in her mailbox.

My favorite part of the card has got to be Close To My Heart's new silver trim!  Its glittery goodness doesn't seem to shed everywhere, and once you get the clear backing peeled off, it adheres extremely well to your project.  (You are going to be seeing a LOT of this stuff from me! <3 nbsp="nbsp" p="p">
This card pattern is a sketch from the new how-to, Make It From Your Heart, Vol. 1.  (Have I mentioned that this cool guide has scrapbooking sketches and card patterns?  Plus it is only $7.95!)  To coordinate with the La Belle Vie paper pack, I stamped the awareness ribbon (retired) in Blush and then used my new Slate pigment ink to overstamp the sentiment and then swipe the edges of the card and the sentiment panel. 

I need to use this card as a reminder to schedule my very first mammogram.  Am I a big girl now or what?  Have you scheduled yours? 

SOS Challenge: Hot Chocolate!

Because so many of our readers live where it is starting to cool off, this month's Scrap Our Stash challenge is hot chocolate.  Interpret that any way you like!  Since I have previously made a layout about my family's love of hot chocolate (and my love instead of hot tea), my thoughts veered to winter.  When I found these pictures of me at (almost) five, I knew I wanted to preserve them.  After all, who better to tell MY story than me?

Growing up in south Florida makes this event all the more memorable: the first time in recorded history that it actually snowed as far south as where I lived!  (Now you guys who get lots of snow are probably laughing, but it was indeed a Florida milestone.)

If you look for it, you can see a bit of Chocolate paper and ink, plus a mug of the yummy stuff.  All of my products are from Close To My Heart, including this layout sketch from the Make It From Your Heart, Vol. 1 how-to guide.  I had fun playing with several of my winter stamp sets, including the October stamp of the month, Very Merry Christmas, for those cute mittens. Guess which alphabet set I used?  If you guessed the Chocolate Alphabet (Large), you're right!

Again, if you look closely, not only will you see my favorite pair of gloves (each finger had a different face with different colored yarn hair), but you'll also see a second-generation stamped snow flurries border.  I wish you could see the pretty Slate polka dot ribbon in person!  It is gorgeous and shimmery in real life.  The only other embellishment I used on the left page is the pretty charm from the Avonlea Brocade Assortment.

Now it's your turn to scrap some of your stash.  Pour a mug of hot cocoa to inspire you, and drag out some of your chocolate-colored scrappy stash to get to work!  Come join us at Scrap Our Stash!

All supplies from Close To My Heart: Chocolate Alphabet Large and Warm Winter Wishes (retired) stamp sets; Avonlea paper pack; White Daisy, Twilight, Olive, and Chocolate cardstock; Twilight and Slate ink; Twilight marker; Grey Wool baker's twine; Slate polka dot ribbon; Avonlea Brocade Assortment

H2H Challenges: Number Challenge

This week at Heart 2 Heart Challenges, we're celebrating birthdays by the numbers!  Even if you don't want to share your number, we're asking you to use numbers in your birthday creation.  Be sure to check out this week's DT projects, because you will truly be inspired.  We have lots of fun ideas and techniques to share this week.  (Way to go, Team B!)

My card uses the fun Flirty papers along with Hollyhock and Olive cardstock.  This pattern is a sketch from the Make It From Your Heart, Vol. 1 how-to guide.  The (retired) happy birthday sentiments were stamped with Hollyhock.  To create the ombre 15, I used my (retired) Friendship Alphabet Large and began by inking up the numbers in Honey, then Goldrush, and finally Hollyhock.  I love how it turned out!

I distressed the edges of my card base and the number panel with Honey ink.  The Olive mat is edged in Olive ink.  I pulled some retired sheer Hollyhock and Goldrush ribbon from my stash to make a bow.  I think it adds another touch of femininity to the card while also mimicing a present.  Making paper ruffles is another girly touch that I just love.  Since every girl needs some bling, I filled in the flower centers with Bronze Glitter Glitz gel.

Now it's time for you to celebrate some special birthdays by the numbers.  Be sure to use some Close To My Heart products and link up to the H2H challenge blog before the end of the month.  Happy birthday!