January Stamp of the Month Blog Hop

Welcome to our Stamp of the Month Blog Hop!
 

We are featuring January's Stamp of the Month - called This Moment...it is jammed packed with 12 individual stamp images.  If you have come here from Lilian Yeh's blog, you are on the right path! The blog hop is a great big circle, so you can start here... with me and work your way all around.  If you get lost along the way, you’ll find the complete list of participating consultants on Melinda’s Blog - simply click here.

This month we have over 60  Close To My Heart Consultants sharing their creations featuring this month's Stamp of the Month combined with lots of other wonderful Close To My Heart products. Be sure to check out all the fabulous art work everyone has to share - just click on the link at the end of this post to begin the journey!

 

 

While the sentiments and images featured in this month's Stamp of the Month may primarily have you thinking of all things love and romance.... they showcase so much more versatility than that...and with that in mind, I decided to share 2 very different cards with you - one that follows the theme of love and this card that takes the path of something a little more generic.

 

For this card design, I used the large circle (target) image to create a form of scallop edging. I stamped multiple images with Hollyhock Ink then fussy cut each one using my all-time favourite Micro-Tip Scissors. The images were then cut in half and arranged across the centre of the card. The "Hello" sentiment was then stamped in Lagoon Ink and placed across the circle/scallop arrangement. This scallop arrangement makes quite a bold statement, therefore I decided to keep the card design fairly clean and simple, with just a little added sparkle.... in the form of 2 thin strips of Teal Glitter Paper and a single red heart from the Stuck on You Puffies.

My daughter thinks the scallop arrangement created with the stamped circle images resembles a Celtic Knot in it's appearance - what do you think??

My second card features not only the This Moment - Stamp of the Month but also many of the "heart" related Close To My Heart products - the Heartstrings paper pack, complement stickers and assortment embellishments, the Paper Fundamentals Enchantment Assortment and Lagoon Heart Washi Tape. They all compliment this project beautifully. The Lagoon coloured arrows and  Ruby "Straight from the Heart" sentiment are also fussy cut stamped images...I love how precise my trusty Micro-Tip Scissors helps me cut!! The scallop border on this card was created by using another favourite tool of mine - the Scallop Border Punch

Thanks for visiting my blog and taking a "peek" at my card projects..... and if you haven't already been there?? -  now is the time to "Hop" on over to Angela White's  blog and see the art work she has created for you... don't forget to visit all the other Consultants at their blogs to view some great crafting inspiration and fun ideas! Remember, the Stamp of the Month is only available until the 31st of January!  Contact your Close To My Heart Consultant (or click here) to see how you can purchase this stamp set and receive a discount!....order now and receive it in time to complete your Valentine Day Projects!

Celebration Time

I have been "out of action" this past week recovering from knee surgery but I am happy to report that I am on the mend and looking forward to saying goodbye to the pain that has been a big (and yucky) part of my 2014!! I was cheered up immensely this week with the arrival of a little surprise package from Close To My Heart, containing an exciting stamp. Sticky Boy is an iconic Close To My Heart My Acrylix® stamp - click here to read "his story" and find out how very special he is!

In honour of Sticky Boy's 10th Birthday I created this card of celebration combining him with a cute kangaroo image from the Hoppy Birthday Stamp Set.

.....and there is nothing like a bit of therapeutic colouring when you are laid up and incapacitated. I love how vibrant the ShinHan Markers are and how well they co-ordinate with the Close To My Heart paper range....especially the new Hopscotch and Heartstrings collections.

ShinHan Touch Twin Markers - Colours Used:
 
Cherry Pink -  Z2450
Tender Pink - Z2464
Turquoise Blue - Z2465

Peacock Green - Z2461Light Orange -  Z2455
Barely Beige -  Z2445
Pastel Peach - Z2460
Pastel Green - Z2459
Golden Yellow - Z2452

The card is very simple in design and finished off with some of my favourite embellishments - Teal Shimmer Trim and some sweet puffy stickers...from the Chalk It Up Assortment and the Stuck On You Puffies.

Hope you are having a good week and your Christmas preparations are well underway!

Friday Friend Feature #12

With "Activity Week" commencing in most Primary Schools across Victoria next week... we are certainly on the countdown to the end of another School Year. My crafting friend Alicia has come up with a cute little appreciation gift idea for your child's teacher that I would like to share with you. A handmade gift is a perfect way to show your gratitude and this project is ideal for those of you who may have left it until the "last minute" - it is simple, quick and very economical.

Alicia followed this tutorial to create her sticky note holders complete with a co-ordinated and conveniently attached pen. Alicia has used Cranberry Cardstock, the chevron patterned cardstock from the Paper Fundamentals - Adventure Assortment and the sweet Red Enamel Hearts to piece together the project. The stamp set she has used is aptly named Teacher Appreciation.

I used the same stamp set to create this Thank You Card which would also be the perfect card to accompany your gift.

This is one of my favourite stamp sets it features 13 individual stamps including 7 different sentiments....and it can be used throughout the whole school year. Having lots of school teachers in our extended family I know that receiving a card of appreciation at any time from a student or a parent truly warms their heart. The Teacher Appreciation set retails for $27 however, during Close To My Heart's Deal of the Decade promotion in December you can purchase this set for only $10 - a huge saving of $17.....to find out more, simply click here. The Deal of the Decade runs right through until the 31st December and not only can you purchase this set for $10, you can also choose any of our C or D size stamp sets for the same price with a qualifying order. Visit my Online Store to view all the stamps available to you.

If you are wanting help with Christmas gifts not only for teachers but for the crafty family and friends in your life - don't hesitate to contact me. I have an array of goodies for immediate delivery or if your prefer a gift voucher, I can help you there too!!

Have a great weekend!
 

Seasonal Expressions #1 - Blog Hop

Welcome to our Seasonal Expressions #1 Blog Hop! 

 

This blog hop is featuring  products in Close To My Heart's "inaugural & brand spanking new"  Seasonal Expressions Idea Book/Catalogue - whatever season you are experiencing in your life - birthdays, weddings, anniversaries...you are in the right place to find the perfect artistic tool for preserving and celebrating your memories. The Seasonal Expressions products debuted on the 1st Dec and are available right through until the 31st March 2015.

If you have come here from Lauren Moore's Blog  you are on the right path! The blog hop is a great big circle, so you can start here...with me and work your way all around. If you get lost along the way, you'll find the complete list of participating consultants on Melinda’s Blog – simply click here.

 

This month we have almost 40 Close To My Heart Consultants sharing their creations featuring these new products combined with other wonderful Close To My Heart products on their blogs. Be sure to check out all the fabulous art work they have to share - just click on the link at the end of this post to begin the journey!

 

The Seasonal Expressions is jammed pack with so many adorable goodies that I found it difficult to decide which one to feature today. However, being a huge fan of the Picture My Life™ collections I decided to show you just how great and versatile these collections are. The new Picture My Life™ Heartstrings Program is a condensed version of the previous collections containing 20 – 4" × 6" Cards (2 each of 10 designs) and 36 – 3" × 4" Cards (2 each of 18 designs). While the cards are designed for pocket style scrapbooking the condensed collection does not include Memory Protectors which of course reduces the cost. The cards are an ideal accompaniment for traditional scrapbook layouts, card making and papercraft creations....and packaged this way provides ease of use for these type of projects.

 

 I used 3 of the 3" x 4" inch cards in this layout (commemorating our 32nd Wedding Anniversary) that was subsequently framed within the Designed Decor Black Shadow Box. One was used as the title, I cut a heart shaped embellishment from another, then resized the third, cutting it into a narrower shape and rounding the corners with the Corner Rounder tool. This layout was created using a variety of new papers and embellishments along with die cut shapes and an additional title from the Cricut® Artbooking Collection. The diamond look sparkle seen in this layout is White Shimmer Trim , one of 2 new additions to the Shimmer Trim range.

I created the card below with one of the 3" x 4" cards and a resized 4" x 6" from the Picture My Life Heartstring Scrapbooking Program combined with papers from the Heartstrings Paper Pack. I love how the new Seasonal Expressions products co-ordinate with existing products from the Annual Inspirations Idea Book/Catalogue. The cute Stuck on You Puffies, Brushed Flower Assortment and Aqua Dots worked a treat all mixed together. This card was finished off with some faux stitching done with the Marvy® Uchida® LePen™ Journalling Pen.

Thanks for visiting my blog and if you haven't already been there?? -  now is the time to "Hop" on over to the lovely Lela Norris's Blog  to see what she has created...and don't forget to visit all the Consultants at their blogs to check out some great crafting inspiration and other fun ideas! 

 

 

December Stamp of the Month Blog Hop

Welcome to our Stamp of the Month Blog Hop! 

We are featuring December's Stamp of the Month - called Cutie Pie...a  super sweet set of 11 stamps.  If you have come here from Jacquelin Green's blog, you are on the right path! The blog hop is a great big circle, so you can start here - with me and work your way all around.  If you get lost along the way, you’ll find the complete list of participating consultants on Melinda’s Blog - simply click here.

This month we have over 60  Close To My Heart Consultants sharing their creations featuring this month's Stamp of the Month combined with lots of other wonderful Close To My Heart products. Be sure to check out all the fabulous art work everyone has to share - just click on the link at the end of this post to begin the journey!

I am very excited to be participating in this blog hop group for the very first time...so much so, that I thought I would share "not one but two" cards with you...and "not one but two" new paper packs - Heartstrings and Hopscotch ... that have just been released today!

I have used the same card design for both cards and coloured my cupcake images with ShinHan Touch Twin Markers. I stamped multiple cupcake images on White Daisy Cardstock with both Archival Black Ink and VersaMark Ink  ( combined with White Embossing Powder ) then fussy cut the different sections of the images with Micro-Tip Scissors. These individual sections were then pieced and layered together on the card using Bonding Memories Glue.

Card #1 - ShinHan Touch Twin Markers - Colours Used:
 
Cherry Pink -  Z2450
Tender Pink - Z2464
Turquoise Blue - Z2465

Peacock Green - Z2461
Warm Grey 4 - Z2467

Warm Grey 7 - Z2468
Light Orange -  Z2455
Barely Beige -  Z2445
Colorless Blender Marker -  Z2469

This next version of the card design uses 3-D Foam Tape behind the sentiment panel and the cupcake image to add a little more variation and dimension.

 

Card #2 - ShinHan Touch Twin Markers - Colours Used:

Cherry Pink -  Z2450
Tender Pink - Z2464
Turquoise Blue - Z2465
Light Orange - Z2455
Barely Beige - Z2445
Pastel Green - Z2459

Pastel Peach - Z2460
Colorless Blender Marker - Z2469

 

This is the sketch I used for the card design which was just perfect for the great smile phrase/sentiment in the Cutie Pie stamp set.

 

Thanks for visiting my blog and if you haven't already been there?? -  now is the time to "Hop" on over to the lovely Adeline Brill's  blog to see what she has created... and don't forget to visit all the Consultants at their blogs to check out some great crafting inspiration and other fun ideas! Remember, the Cutie Pie Stamp of the Month is only available until the 31st of December!  Contact your Close To My Heart Consultant (or click here) to see how you can purchase this stamp set and receive a discount!....this is one set you will most certainly want in your crafting collection!