CTMH October SOTM Blog Hop

Hi!  Welcome to the Close To My Heart Stamp of the Month Blog Hop!  This month we are featuring the October SOTM which is called "Share the Magic:"  It is a set of 12 stamps.  If you have come here from Wendy's blog, you are on the right path.  Just follow along, and I'll have a link at the bottom of my post to connect you to the next blog.  So here's the Christmas card that I made using this stamp set:

I used the Mistletoe Paper Packet, New England Ivy and Colonial White cardstock, New England Ivy and Black ink, CTMH markers in Cranberry, New England Ivy, and Chocolate, and Cranberry velvet ribbon.  The snowman's eyes and buttons are made with our new Opaques.  They are self-adhesive and come in 3 colors and 4 sizes each.  I used the black ones from the Licorice pack.  We also have Mocha Opaques which have shades of brown and Pearl Opaques.  The sentiment and flourish at the bottom are from one of our A-size stamp sets "A Timber."  These versatile sets are only $7.95!  The snowflakes were made with a Martha Stewart punch and the scalloped circle is a Marvy punch.  Here's a close-up of the snowman:

Now hop on over to Nicole's blog to see her artwork!  Remember, the October SOTM is only available until Oct. 31st!  Click HERE to see how you can get this stamp set at a discount or even FREE!

CTMH Spotlight Blog Hop--Dimensional Elements!

Hi!  Welcome to the Close To My Heart Spotlight Blog Hop!  If you just arrived from Karen's blog, you are on the right path.  This month we are featuring Dimensional Elements.  Dimensional Elements are CTMH's fabulous white chipboard accents.  They come in many shapes--from A (alphabet) to Z (zigzag borders)!  And they can be stamped, painted, papered, chalked, and more!  Just take a look:

I used the Stars Dimensional Elements to make this rockin' easel card.  The large star at the top is covered with CTMH paper from the You Rock paper pack.  Looks practically perfect, doesn't it?  Do you ever wonder how people get their paper-covered chipboard shapes to look so perfect?  It's really simple:  First, trace your shape and cut it out.  Next, put adhesive on the dimensional element and stick it to the wrong side of the paper shape so that the right side will be showing.  (I was really sleepy the first time I tried this, and I glued my star to the right side of the paper, flipped it over and saw the wrong side, and went "AAUGH!"  LOL!)  Note to self:  do not try this when overtired!  Also, if you're tracing elements that are not symmetrical, flip them over and trace them on the wrong side of the paper.  That way they will be correct on the right side of the paper AND your pencil marks won't show.  Ok, where was I?  Back to the next step.  After adhering your paper to the dimensional element, use Finishing Files (Z1091) to file off the extra paper and smooth the edges.  These tools are what make the difference between okay and perfect!  When your edges are smooth, distress them with your favorite ink color so they will really pop!  Here's a shot of my easel card closed up.  When it's closed like this, it will fit in a standard size envelope.

For the blue star, I stamped directly on the white dimensional element with Indian Corn Blue ink on a stamp from the Just Be You stamp set (B1341).  Then I inked the edges and the points of the star with the same color ink on a sponge dauber.  The dotted orange star was made with a stamp from Spot On Backgrounds (D1280) and Goldrush ink.  Other products used were the You Rock stamp set (D1346), the Star Power stamp set (D1403), Outdoor Denim ink, and Goldrush cardstock.  All patterned papers are from the You Rock paper pack (X7122B).  All products used are from Close To My Heart--just click to purchase them for yourself!  Here's a shot of my easel card from the side.  See how it will stand up by itself?  Also, don't miss the 3 small stars on the flat piece on the bottom.  Those are also dimensional elements which I colored by rubbing them directly on the ink pads and then decorated with Love Letters Rub-ons (Z1312). 

So, what do you think of Dimensional Elements?  Fun, huh?!!!  You can cover them, stamp them, ink them, and rub on them!  (Sorry, just couldn't resist that pun).  Now hop on over to Melinda's blog and take a look at her creation!  But before you go, let me know what you think of mine--did you like my card?  Was my information helpful?  Have a great day and keep on craftin'!

September SOTM Blog Hop--It's a Thriller!

Welcome to our Close To My Heart  Stamp of the Month  Blog Hop! 
If you have come here from Wendy's blog, you are on the right track! 

This month we are featuring the September SOTM which is called Thriller!  It's an awesome set of 9 stamps including this great vampire that I used on my Halloween card:

Cute, isn't he!  LOL!  For this card, I used the new Close To My Heart paper pack called Hooligans, cardstock in two of our new colors--pear and sunset, black ink and cardstock, black brads, and some of our new bling embellishments--Licorice Opaques! 

If you want to join me in learning the techniques to make this card, as well as 6 more cards OR a Halloween layout, check out my  Events Calendar Here  for my September workshops! 

Remember, this stamp set is only available until September 30th!  You can get it at a discount or even FREE with your purchase of  Close To My Heart products HERE.

Now hop on over to Angela's blog to check out her amazing artwork!  We have almost 70 consultants participating in the blog hop this month, so you're sure to get some great ideas if you keep on hopping!  And, hey--leave me a comment and let me know if you liked my card!

CTMH New Product Blog Hop--It's Magnifique!

Welcome to our Close To My Heart New Product Blog Hop!
More than 50 fabulous CTMH consultants are celebrating the upcoming release of the Autumn/Winter 2010 Idea Book by giving you a sneak peek of some of the great products available in the new Idea Book starting September 1st.  If you have come here from Lori's blog, you are on the right path!  You can also find a complete list of blog hop participants at http://www.tazzygirl2000.blogspot.com/.  This is simple to do--just click on the link at the end of the post on each blog to move to the next one.  Here we go! 

I made this card using the new CTMH paper pack Magnifique and the new stamp set Circle of Love.  I am IN LOVE with this paper and the peacock stamp--aren't they gorgeous?!!!

This card is based on the template "Puzzle Backdrop" on page 91 of Originals.  I used some of our new ink colors--pear, lagoon, and pacifica--with lagoon, chocolate, and colonial white cardstock.  I also used a new favorite embellishment**Sparkles** in blue and green.  Love my bling!

If you would like to learn the technique to make this card as well as six more cards OR a scrapbook layout, check out my Events Calendar Here for my September workshops.

Now hop on over to Jean's blog to see her amazing artwork!  Be sure to visit all the consultants' blogs to get some great crafting ideas for all of the fabulous new products in the new Autumn/Winter 2010 Idea Book!  And remember it goes LIVE on September 1st!

And, hey--leave me a comment and let me know what you think of my peacock card!

CTMH Spotlight Blog Hop--Background Stamping!

Hi!  Welcome to the CTMH Spotlight Blog Hop!  If you have just come from Haley's blog, you are on the right track.  Didn't you just love her artwork?!!!  This month we are spotlighting Background Stamping, and for my project, I chose the CTMH "Star Power" stamp set to make a Rock Star card for one of my favorite teenagers.  I absolutely love the CTMH "You Rock" paper pack with its wild colors of Goldrush, Indian Corn Blue, Olive, and Outdoor Denim!  But what if your rock star is more of a pink and sparkly rock star?  With background stamping, you can create your own paper and make it whatever colors you want:

All products used are from Close To My Heart unless otherwise noted.  For this card I used White Daisy, Watermelon, and Black cardstock and ink.  I used the CTMH "Star Power" stamp set.  I stamped the star flourish diagonally on the White Daisy cardstock in black ink and colored those stars with a CTMH Watermelon marker.  Then I stamped various sizes of stars and flourishes with Black and Watermelon ink.  I stamped the guitar and sentiment with Versamark ink on Watermelon cardstock and heat embossed them with black embossing powder.  The pink, white, and black stacked star was made using punches but could also have been made by cutting out additional stamped stars from this set.  I "blinged" it up with CTMH sparkles.  The only non-CTMH product used was black diamond Stickles on the guitar and star. Here's a close-up:

As you can see, I also popped up the star with some 3-D foam tape.  Don't you just love it?  I hope my rock star does too!  Leave me a comment, and let me know what you think.  Then hop on over to Karen's blog and check out her work of art!  Thanks for stopping by!

TPE77--The Pink Elephant Sketch Challenge

I used this sketch from The Pink Elephant:

to make this birthday card for a teenager:

All products used are from Close To My Heart.  I used the You Rock paper, Star Power and Spot On Backgrounds stamp sets,  cardstock and ink in Goldrush and Smokey Plum, and gold embossing powder.  I think it's totally awesome!  What do you think?

Design Dollies Trifecta!

The Design Dollies Trifecta consists of (1)--a color challenge.  This week it was light green, dark green, kraft, and pink.  Pink?  Oh, I'm all over that!

(2)--An element challenge:  Use two or more ribbons (I have 20 shoeboxes of ribbon--yes, really!)
and/or use ribbon in an unexpected way (Me?  Unexpected?  Please!)

(3)--And a sketch:

How cute is that?!!!
So here's my combination of all three--the Design Dollies Trifecta:

Here's what I did:  My base is Close To My Heart cardstock in Desert Sand.  I sprayed it with Meadow Green Glimmer Mist using the large flourish glimmer screen from the Tattered Angels Blossom pack.  The patterned paper is Cherry-O from CTMH.  I used Martha Stewart punch around the page border punches with CTMH Baby Pink cardstock for the doily-ish pieces and Blush cardstock and ink with Marvy punches for the title and distressing.  The bling is also CTMH Cherry-O Opaques.  Other CTMH cardstock used is Colonial White, Topiary, and Sweet Leaf.  The ribbon for the ice cream cone is from my stash (probably from the dollar bin at Michael's).  What do you think?  Oh, and I'm also entering this in the Fun with Shapes and More Challenge because they too are doing the colors of pink, green, and brown.