February Stamp of the Month - Easter Bunny

Oh My Goodness - it is day 8 of February already!! This year has certainly got off to a flying start, the kids are back at school, Summer sports are winding down but the days are still very warm! If you are finding yourself with a little free time or need to escape the heat - retreat to your craft room and the air conditioning?... then I have the cutest stamp set for you to ink up.

Take a peek at this month's Stamp of the Month - a 12 piece set that will ensure you have some cute cards ready to send out at Easter time... and with a quick change of sentiment, a card for just about every occasion.

 

 

I used two of the sweet little bunny images to create this card. I coloured them with Watercolour Pencils and then paper pieced their clothing with papers from the Whimsy Fundamental and the Sugar Rush Paper Packs. The sentiment was stamped on a "word bubble" shape, cut from the Cricut Artbooking Collection. It is a little difficult to see in this photo but I stamped both the bunnies and sentiment in Cocoa Exclusive Ink™. I am finding this my "go to" colour when I want to soften the look of my cards rather than stamp in black ink.

 



I also created these 2 cards using this month's Stamp of the Month. I have developed a bit of an addiction to making "scenic cards" with my latest craze being "picket fences". Using the woodgrain print from the Rustic Home Fundamentals I cut small 1/2" strips, then roughly cut a picket shape into the top edge. Next I distressed the edges with a sponge & Cocoa Exclusive Ink™ and lined the pieces up across my base piece. The base was then trimmed with some grass shapes, again cut from the Cricut Artbooking Collection. The "There's Nobunny Like You" card came together really easily with lots of my scraps from my craft desk. Papers from the Sugar Rush and Some Kinda Wonderful Paper Packs along with stickers and die-cuts from the Hello Lovely and Springtime Complement Packs.

The "Sending Smiles" card came together in much the same way...but rather than have my bunny strolling in the grass, I decided to have her popping out to say "hello" from a flower pot...an idea that was inspired by an adorable card created by CTMH Consultant - Corinna Murphy. To further embellish the card I used a combination of flower, leaf and cloud shapes from the Close To My Heart Cricut Collections... cut in a variety of my favourite coloured cardstock - Raspberry, Lemon, Willow, SweetLeaf and Glacier.

 

February is also the perfect time for you to join the Close To My Heart family as a Consultant... especially if you love paper crafting, sharing your creativity with others and enjoy Fun, Friendship and Awesome Rewards.

 

New Consultants who join Close To My Heart in February will get the February (Easter Bunny), March, and April Stamp of the Month sets for FREE! That’s an additional $81 in retail value added to the already incredible value of the New Consultant Kit! and if you are a former Close To My Heart Consultant?? there is special offer just for you.... a lower-priced, no-kit enrolment option that will allow you to sign up and join my team for just $75! You will still receive $75 in Select Product Credit to spend on products of your choice, meaning...you basically get to sign up for free! PLUS you will receive the February, March, and April Stamp of the Month sets for FREE!

 

If you are interested in joining me and the other rewards Close To My Heart have to offer - simply click here to find out more.

 

I hope you enjoyed seeing my bunny cards and I look forward to sharing more of my Close To My Heart journey with you.

Chris xx

Sweet Sunshine Birdies

The March Stamp of the Month - Sunshine Birdies has been so much fun to create with! I have been churning out a huge array of different card styles this month.  After the 31st March, it will no longer be available to purchase, so I am very glad it has already been added it to my collection.

The little birdies are super sweet and I decided that they would be the perfect image to use to make Thank You cards. I love having a stash of pre-made thank you cards ready to go...it is always nice to let someone know how much you appreciated them.

The cards were created using a combination of papers from the Penelope and Kaleidoscope Paper Packs and embellished with Purple Enamel Hearts and silver glitter  Playful Puffies. The sentiment was stamped in black ink and comes from the Packages, Boxes and Tags Stamp Set. The little birdies ( and sun image ) were stamped in Black Memento Ink and coloured with Watercolour Pencils and shaded with a Blending Pen. In order to create a multiple of cards in one sitting I used a simple design - the sketch I have shared with you below.

Remember each month you can purchase a new release D-size stamp set (such as Sunshine Birdies) - it is available for one month only! and can be yours for $7.50 when you place an order of $75 or more in Close To My Heart products in my online shop - for more information simply click here

Stamp of the Month - Sunshine Birdies

I have been looking forward to sharing this month's Stamp of the Month with you...it is very sweet and perfect for those who love colouring, but what makes it even more special is the fact that it co-ordinates beautifully with so many other stamp sets in the Close To My Heart range.

Sunshine Birdies - Stamp of the Month

I decided to combine it with the floral images from the Friend in Me stamp set, along with a little embossing and some colouring with Watercolour Pencils in pretty pastel tones.

I used Pixie and White Daisy Cardstock along with the Damask Embossing Folder to create the card background. A circle was then cut from the centre and a sentiment and bird image from the Sunshine Birdies was stamped inside. The flowers and leaves from the Friend in Me set were stamped individually, coloured with Watercolour Pencils then fussy cut and arranged around the cute bird image. The card was embellished with Pixie Extra Thick Twine, Purple Enamel Hearts and some little black glitter stickers from the Black Fundamental Assortment were placed in the centre of the large flowers ( which are a little difficult to see in the photo ).

Friend in Me Stamp Set

If you love mix and matching your stamp sets too?... then the wait is over! Today is the beginning of  Stampaganza 2016 - yes this month you can buy any two
My Acrylix^® Stamp Sets (M-, A-, B-, C-, D-, or E-size) at full retail price and get a third stamp set of equal or lesser value FREE! That is a savings of up to $45!!! This offer is only available during March, so start submitting your stamp orders in my Online Shop (click here) and let the Stampaganza begin!

It is also time for another new sketch over at the Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge and I have showcased some of the other images from the  Sunshine Birdies stamp set combined with a thank you sentiment from the Packages, Boxes and Tags stamp set using this sketch design.

Sketch Challenge # 141

 Packages, Boxes, & Tags Stamp Set

Wishing you a happy week of crafting and I hope you enjoy your  Stampaganza shopping time! 

Stamp of the Month - Balloon Animals

Wow another new month!! Can you believe it is February already?? The kids are back at school, Summer sport is winding down and if you think it is time to claim a little play time in your craft, then I have a super cute stamp set that you will want to ink up!!

Take a peek at this month's Stamp of the Month - Balloon Animals a 13 piece stamp set that includes sentiments as well as an array of sweet balloon animals that include elephants and monkeys, making it very appealing for children's birthday cards

 

I chose a very classic/primary colour palette for this birthday card . I stamped the Balloon Animals in Crystal Blue, Honey and Cranberry  onto White Daisy Cardstock and then cut each image out individually to piece together the design.

 

 



I wanted my images to look like were actual floating balloons so I added some very thin slivers of Black Cardstock to look like string. These thin pieces of cardstock were less than 1/16th in width and they were very tricky to adhere! However, this is when my trusty Bonding Memories™ Glue Pen came into action! I LOVE the Close To My Heart Bonding Memories™ Glue Pen  - it has a small-tip applicator making it perfect for those teeny tiny pieces.  It is acid free and creates both permanent and temporary bonds...and at only $7 it has that perfect price too!! If you click on the picture below it will take you straight to this item in my Online Store where you can add it to your shopping basket... it is certainly a 'must have' item for every papercrafter!

 

The papers used in this card are featured in the Penelope and Regatta Paper Packs that was released last month be sure to check them out in my Online Store too... lots of bright, pretty and geometric prints to be found! The Happy Birthday sentiment was stamped in Black ink and is one of 5 sentiments found in the Balloon Animals stamp set. The card was finished of by embellishing with 3 little black glitter stars found in the Black Fundamental Assortment.

 

 

As usual you can purchase the Stamp of the Month (a D-size stamp set, that usually retails for $27) for just $7.50 AUD  when you place an order of $75 or more in Close To My Heart products in my Online Shop... you will simply be prompted at check-out to add it to your order.

When you visit my Online Shop this month be sure to take a look at the "Share the Love" promotion.  During February you can also purchase the exclusive My Acrylix^® Share the Love D-size stamp set (CC1060).  Filled with adorable icons and loveable sentiments, this stamp set will be a beautiful addition to your collection—but there is more to this stamp set than meets the eye! Not only will you be getting a high-quality, swoon-worthy stamp set by taking part in this promotion, but Close To My Heart will also donate $7 USD of the proceeds from this stamp set to Operation Smile™, an amazing organization that provides surgeries to repair cleft lips and palates for children all over the world!* Keep a look out on social media all month long to see this stamp set in action, and remember to post your own artwork using the hashtag #ctmhsharethelove to help bring attention to this amazing and worthy cause

Be sure to pop back here in the coming days as I have some cards and layouts to share  using both these stamps sets....have a great week!

1 Stamp Set - 3 Cards

Everything has been coming up roses over the past couple of weeks on my blog and today is no exception! There is no doubt that I have loved playing with the
January Stamp of the Month - Beloved Bouquet. This stamp set offers so many options for cardmakers and scrapbookers alike. It could be used for just about anything...Anniversary, Birthday, Valentine's Day, Mother's Day, Thinking of You, Thank you and so much more. However, there is some sad news... you only have a few more days to add this stamp set to your collection! If this is your "must have" stamp set too?... then pop on over to my ONLINE SHOP and place your order today and avoid disappointment.

Featured below are 3 cards created using the January Stamp of the Month - Beloved Bouquet that really highlight the versatility of the stamp set. I love that you can whip up a simple and effective card in just a few minutes or spend time in your craft room with inks and paints to create something a little more detailed. Whatever option you choose, I know this stamp set will help you create a masterpiece.

Don't forget you only have until the end of the month to add this lovely stamp set to you collection -  just $7.50 when you place an order of $75 or more in Close To My Heart products either online in my store, by phoning or emailing and placing your order directly through me... with 14 images included, this is stamp set is seriously great value!

Enjoy!

More Beloved Bouquets

I have been creating like crazy with this month's Stamp of the Month - Beloved Bouquet... you name it, layouts, cards etc  they have all been stamped in beautiful roses!

This is one of the layouts I shared at the 2 workshop events this weekend. It really showcases how the new Regatta Paper Pack can be used for more than just nautical themed projects... it is certainly very pretty used here.

The layout was based on the sketch below that I designed and altered slightly to add a large journaling box. I plan to use this page in a Heritage album and wanted an area to write down all the historical facts along with my memories.

The stamped images were all fussy cut and layered into the corner of the pages. I used Pomegranate, Sapphire, Flaxen and Glacier Inks. The stamped flower clusters were then complemented with leaves cut from the Cricut® Artistry Collection along with an assortment of embellishments - Glacier Fundamental Assortment, Blue Enamel Dots and Red Enamel Gems.

Don't forget you only have until the end of the month to add this lovely stamp set to you collection -  just $7.50 when you place an order of $75 or more in Close To My Heart products either online in my store, by phoning or emailing and placing your order directly through me... with 14 images included, this is one very versatile stamp set!

... and while you are browsing in my online shop take a peek at what is on offer for National Papercrafting Month - an exclusive Picture My Life™ Live Your Day set of fabulous cards for only $13.50. They were designed to coordinate perfectly with the sensational Everyday Life™ 2016 Planner Pages and My Crush^® Everyday Life Pages, so you can seamlessly integrate pocket scrapbooking into your 2016 planner. In the coming days I will be sharing the next instalment of my planner ideas and I will show you how I have used this set. However, in the meantime you can check them out here.

Happy shopping and creating Crafty Friends xx

Stamp of the Month - Beloved Bouquet

It is time for another new sketch over at the Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge and because I am currently "obsessed" with the January Stamp of the Month...yes, it's a big favourite at the moment and it is getting used in so many of my papercraft projects... I thought I would combine the two.

Sketch Challenge # 141

 

Beloved Bouquet - S1601

 

 

I decided to reverse the sketch, and alter the design a little. I shortened the border strip and moved the sentiment to the lower section of the card... and this was the result.

I used another of the new paper packs recently released by Close To My Heart called Penelope - this pack simply makes me smile... is it so bright and pretty. It includes 12 springtime style prints - 12" × 12" B&T Duos™ (2 each of 6 double-sided designs). The floral cluster was created using the 2nd generation stamping technique along with the base & shade method - the Beloved Bouquet stamp set has been designed to help you create this great textured effect - here's how... stamp the solid base in a light colour of ink (2nd generation ink) and the matching detail image in a darker colour directly over it. For this card the flower and leaf images were stamped in Thistle, Pixie, Honey and Pear Exclusive Inks™. I used this same technique for the background section of ink splatter stamped with an image from the Ink Blot Stamp Set. There are 7 sentiments to choose from in this month's Stamp of the Month set and all of them would have been perfect for this card but I chose to use "you mean so much to me". I love the brush stroke style of font used for this image. The card was embellished with the Pixie coloured washi tape from the new Limeade Washi Pack and 2 little heart stickers - the pink heart from the Kaleidoscope Complements and the black glitter heart from the Black Fundamental Assortment.

If you would like to play along with the Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge or see what the design team created using this sketch - you can find the Atlantic Hearts blog here. To purchase the Stamp of the Month - Beloved Bouquet, head on over to my online store and while you are there, browse through the complete list of new products.

If you are interested in attending one of my upcoming workshop events?? You will find me in Melbourne on the 16th January (Heidelberg) and the 17th January (Mulgrave) the registration fee for both events includes your choice of a Scrapbook or Card kit featuring this month's Stamp of the Month and the 3 new paper packs (Charlotte, Regatta and Penelope). Click HERE to register for Heidelberg or HERE for Mulgrave. I'd love for you to join us for some papercrafting fun...everyone is welcome!!

 

Planners Gonna Plan/Part 1 - Setting Up A New Planner

I am so excited to be sharing with you the new Everyday Life™ Planner from Close To My Heart - decorative planners are so on trend in the world of papercrafting and this one is very hard to resist...truly who could resist something as pretty and practical as this??!!??

- not ME!

Setting up and decorating a planner is a huge part of the fun for planner addicts and there is nothing quite so appealing as a bundle of blank pages - they not only represent  a new year but new beginnings and a whole lot of "new" crafting opportunities. However, if you are new to this form of practical crafting they can also be a little daunting and with this in mind, I thought I would share with you my tips for getting started and a peek at my pages.

My first tip is to gather together your supplies -  pens, roller/date stamps, washi tape, post-it notes, stickers, Picture My Life™ cards, etc and store them together in easy  reach. My supplies are all bundled together in the My Acrylix® Mini Stamp Organizer  - they all fit in nicely and this is the perfect container to leave sitting out on my desk. While some of these decorative items  are optional -  I personally think they make the whole process so much more fun! - and yes, the pic  you see below gives you a little look at some goodies being released 1st Jan... that are going to add even more fun to embellishing your planner!

While I am a self-proclaimed "stationery junkie" and I have a huge collection of pens ( mainly pink )... highlighters, gel, fineliners, texta, erasable, correction - Yep!... you name it, I've got it!! I do however, find a single black pen is all you really need. Some people like to colour code events in their planners and write in a variety of different colours (eg. personal appointments in pink, sporting events in blue, housekeeping tasks in green etc). I find this a little time consuming and not so easy to keep track of. I never know if I will have the correct pen colour on hand when I need to write something and if I wait until I do; I know I will ultimately forget what it was, I wanted to write down! It is simply easier for me to write with my Black Marvy® Uchida® LePen™ Journaling Pen  - and use the stickers that are included in the Everyday Life™ 2016 Planner Pages as a form of colour coding for any events, I wish to highlight.

The next thing I like to do when setting up a new planner is to make time to sit down with my current planner and transfer across perpetual and annual events - such as Birthdays, Anniversaries, Public Holidays etc. Then I add those appointments and important events already scheduled for the new year  - eg. the 6 monthly visit to the dentist or the start of the school year, holidays etc. I also find another great way to stay organised is to start marking down reminders in my planner too. An example of this, is the annual medical appointment I have in October, that I can't schedule 12 months ahead. Often when I do remember to phone and make the appointment, most of the convenient times are already gone or I am so late the appointment gets pushed out until November or in the case of this year, December! I have learnt the best thing to do is to schedule a date a month or 2 months earlier in my planner as a reminder to phone and make the appointment. While I don't manage my husband's or my daughter's appointments I do want to add reminders in my planners for them as well - a reminder to remind them LOL! If you are a goal setter or have monthly or annual housekeeping tasks such as air-conditioner maintenance, pool cleaning etc add them to your planner at this stage too. Taking the time to sit down and include these things in your planner now... for the coming year, helps you keep on track and removes some of the organisational stress from your life.

This is a little preview into my month of January - I love that the Everyday Life™ 2016 Planner Pages come with both monthly and weekly views. I use the monthly view as a form of diary/calendar with everything I have scheduled for the month written beside the date. This is just so I can see at a glance where I may have a spare date to schedule appointments, workshops etc. I then use the weekly view to add in the actual appointment times and any extra details I might need listed, such as what I need to do to prepare, what to bring, goals etc. There is more space to write on the weekly view pages and this is where my real planning happens. You will see in my example below where I have colour coded events using the stickers that are included in the Everyday Life™ 2016 Planner Pages. I also like to add notes to the monthly view pages for events I would like to combine & schedule with family & friends for that particular month... this is so when we do get together to co-ordinate plans, I can see quickly where I have a day available. I do like things to be colour co-ordinated and as you can see any "decorating" I do does match the planner's colour scheme. I tend to store any unused stickers, papers and embellishments from my other projects into colour groups... and as you can see on these pages - I have used pixie and glacier stickers from the Fundamental Stickers Whimsy Pack and the Kaleidoscope Complements along with some gold stars from the Gold Fundamental Assortment. Planners are great place to use all your left-over or excess treasures! My stamped Happy New Year embellishment was created using images from November Stamp of the Month - called Cheers... I am so glad I collect each month's Stamp of the Month as each set is so universal they can be used over and over again. I make sure I never miss out on ordering these stamp sets!

One of my favourite additions to this Everyday Life™ planner system is the My Crush® Everyday Life Pages and pocket style Memory Protectors (they come in 2 sizes -  4" x 6" and 4" x 3"). I really admire the planner addicts that have the time to basically scrapbook their weekly diary spread but I am afraid for me to do this I would be spending way too much time making my planner look "pretty" than actually doing the things I have planned!! However, with the inclusion of the  My Crush® Everyday Life Pages and pocket style Memory Protectors I can incorporate a little creative scrapbooking, display my memorabilia and journal my thoughts, adventures and experiences - a perfect mix of everything I love to do! - photo below, courtesy of the Close To My Heart art department.

Right now! is the perfect time to get your hands on the Everyday Life Planner™ - not only are we getting ready to commence another new year of plans, events and appointments but Close To My Heart have an amazing bundle offer available until the 31st December - click HERE for more details -  you can save over 15% off the retail price and get your 2016 planning well underway!

Over the coming months I will share some of my "not so personal" planner pages with you and pass on more tips and tricks for bullet journaling, memory keeping and embellishing your Everyday Life™ Album... stay tuned for this creative journey - planning your year has never been more FUN!



 

Stamp of the Month - Candlelight Garden

WOW! - can you believe it?... today is the 1st December and the last month of 2015!! I know that means many of you are crafting away getting the last of your Christmas cards and gifts made, but I thought today we might change the pace a bit and celebrate  friendships.

As I reflect on 2015 I know Close To My Heart and the friendships it brings has played a huge part in my year and for that, I am very grateful -  these "friendships mean everything"... and this leads into the card I want to share with you using the December Stamp of the Month - Candlelight Garden.

This stamp set includes a fabulous Mason Jar image. Mason Jars are so on trend at the moment and offer so many creative options. I stamped the image in black
Memento Ink onto some Watercolour Paper, then using Close To My Heart's Watercolour Paints  painted a translucent wash of blue paint to represent water in the bottom of the jar.

I then used a portion of the stems from the floral image found in the stamp set to attach some 3D flowers. These flower were made from a variety of different sizes of floral shapes, found in the Cricut® Artistry Collection. These were also coloured with a wash of pink Watercolour Paints. I love the texture and depth this created and how different it made the shapes look...if you click here your will see a card I previously created with these same shapes using a totally different technique. The lovely sparkly centres of the flowers are from the Bling Gems Gold Assortment . The leaves were cut from the Cricut® Art Philosophy Collection in Sweet Leaf Cardstock.

I used Black and Pixie cardstock as the base for the card design and complimented it with black & white patterns from the La Vie En Rose Paper Pack. The sentiment can also be found in the Candlelight Garden Stamp Set and the splattered areas were created with the Ink Blot Stamp Set. The gold foil heart is a sticker from the Fundamental Stickers Basics Pack and the card was embellished with white gems from the Grey Enamel Gems pack.

I've also made a blue version of this card design using Lagoon Cardstock and
Glacier Extra Thick Twine. The heart sticker can also be found in the Fundamental Stickers Basics Pack and the Thank You sentiment is from the Stamp of the Month stamp set.

When you spend $75 you can purchase this Stamp of the Month set for just $7.50 - that is a saving of over 70%...  when ordering from my Online Shop  you will be prompted to add this set before you finalise your order and check out - and don't forget to browse our CyberWeek Sale... for five days only, a selection of 39 items from Close To My Heart’s current product inventory can be yours for 25% off retail price! Get supplies you’ll need to make handcrafted gifts and cards for the holidays, including our
Cricut^® Artfully Sent Collection, at an amazing discount!

If you pop over to my Facebook Page - you will see the complete list of items available and some other Super Savings in my personal Daily Deals!! - how awesome is that...lots of great crafting specials for you to cash in on this holiday season!?

Happy Shopping!
Chris xx


 

Stamp of the Month - You Are Wonderful

... for those of you who follow my Facebook page and/or are regular visitors to my Blog / Online Shop you will be aware that Close To My Heart have a list of retiring products - all in readiness for a new range of products to be released on the 1st September. It's at this time of year I start my "spring cleaning". I go through all my crafting goodies and use up any leftover papers, stickers, etc to make way for a new batch of awesomeness to take their place! - and that is exactly how this card came together -  co-ordinating bits and pieces!!

This square 6" x 6" card features Chalk It Up Papers and a scallop trim of a chevron patterned paper from the In the Pink My Crush Book. The sentiment was created by combining the Wonderful image from the July Stamp of the Month (stamped in black ink) with stickers found in the My Besties My Crush Assortment. Gold Bling Gems and Glacier Extra Thick Twine were used to embellish the finished card.....and I have a little secret for you - if you are a fan of the Extra Thick Twine?? (as I am!!) - stay tuned for the 1st of September, where I get to introduce to you some gorgeous new colours added to this range.

Don't forget during the month of July, when you purchase $32.50 in current retail priced stamps, you qualify to receive either the July Stamp of the Month, My Acrylix^® Life Is Wonderful, FREE or any one of the Hostess Rewards stamp sets featured in Annual Inspirations 2014–2015 or Seasonal Expressions 2 for only $6.50 That is a savings of up to $27!! The July Stamp of the Month is a lovely, versatile stamp set that is a great match for your cards and layouts that celebrate all the wonderful things—big and small—that life has to offer.
Additionally, the Hostess Rewards stamp sets have previously only been available as part of the Hostess Rewards program, which means now is the perfect opportunity to get those special stamp sets you’ve had your eye on! To get your FREE stamp set or your $6.50 Hostess Rewards stamp set, simply place an order for $32.50 of any current, retail priced stamps. This offer is available only during the month of July and applies only to the July Stamp of the Month and current Hostess rewards stamp sets, so spring into action place your order here and jump on this deal before it’s gone

 

Stamp of the Month - Life is Wonderful

The weather over the past week has been bitterly cold which has kept me indoors catching up on scrapbooking my 2014 memories... and I am not complaining! I have really enjoyed reliving all the travels my hubby and I ventured on last year - looking back at these times, makes you truly appreciate how wonderful life is!!... and how appropriate is this month's Stamp of the Month called Life is Wonderful ?? -  just perfect for this scrapbooking project.

 

 

 

... for those of you who follow my Facebook page and/or are regular visitors to my Online Shop you will be aware that Close To My Heart have a list of retiring products -  in readiness for a new range of products to be released on the 1st September. I love this time of year, it is sort of like "spring cleaning". I go through all my crafting goodies and use up any leftover papers, stickers, etc to make way for a new batch of awesomeness to take their place! - and that is exactly how this layout came together... just lots of co-ordinating bits and pieces!!

I mixed and matched papers from the Whimsy Paper Fundamentals, Chalk It Up Paper Pack along with loose pages from the Modville My Crush™ Book to build up the layout design. The page was then embellished with an assortment of products, Wanderful Complements, My Crush™ Besties Assortment, and Gold Sequins. I also cut embellishments from cards in the Picture My Life™  Chalk It Up range ( "know this" subtitle ) and pages in the Modville My Crush™  Book ( flag/banner in upper right corner ).

I used Outdoor Denim ink to stamp the "Life is Wonderful" title/sentiment found in the July Stamp of the Month set and Outdoor Denim cardstock as the base for my layout. The journaling box is also from the My Crush™ Besties Assortment and I intend to add my journaling when I complete all the pages in this project... easy to do when you keep a travel diary!!


During the month of July, when you purchase $32.50 in current retail priced stamps, you qualify to receive either the July Stamp of the Month, My Acrylix^® Life Is Wonderful, FREE or any one of the Hostess Rewards stamp sets featured in Annual Inspirations 2014–2015 or Seasonal Expressions 2 for only $6.50 That is a savings of up to $27!! The July Stamp of the Month is a lovely, versatile stamp set that is a great match for your cards and layouts that celebrate all the wonderful things—big and small—that life has to offer.
Additionally, the Hostess Rewards stamp sets have previously only been available as part of the Hostess Rewards program, which means now is the perfect opportunity to get those special stamp sets you’ve had your eye on! To get your FREE stamp set or your $6.50 Hostess Rewards stamp set, simply place an order for $32.50 of any current, retail priced stamps. This offer is available only during the month of July and applies only to the July Stamp of the Month and current Hostess rewards stamp sets, so spring into action place your order here and jump on this deal before it’s gone!

 

Stamp of the Month - Ice Cream Dream

Over the past few weeks I have been sharing art work created using this month's Stamp of the Month - Ice Cream Dream using a variety of techniques such as paper piecing and colouring with the wonderful ShinHan™ Touch Twin™ Markers. Today's card also features colouring however, I have opted to use the Watercolour Pencils to add a different effect again. The colours I chose from the Watercolour packs were Bubblegum, Sunny Yellow and Autumn Terracotta.

After I coloured the images I used a Blending Pen (that had been dipped in a little water) to add a streaky appearance. Usually I would use the blending pen to soften and smooth out the colour however, for this card I wanted my ice-cream images to look a little like a Strawberry/Vanilla Swirl (with a touch of banana flavour too!!)

I chose Pixie and Canary coloured papers from the Paper Fundamentals Whimsy Assortment to co-ordinate with the colour of my ice-cream images and pieced together the card using scallop shapes - made with the Scallop Border Maker and scallop circle shapes from the Cricut® Art Philosophy Collection.... and because ice-cream is the best medicine for happiness!!!...  I chose to use the "Cheer Up Buttercup" sentiment from the Hostess Reward Stamp Set - Tagged with Love. The card was then embellished with some Silver Sequins and Pixie Extra Thick Twine.

 If you would like to view some of the other art work I have created with the June Stamp of the Month simply click here or here and don't forget there are only 4 more days to add this stamp set to your collection. Spend $75 and you can purchase this Stamp of the Month set for just $5 - that is a saving of over 70%...  when ordering from my Online Shop  you will be prompted to add this set before you check out -  easy, peasy! 

Time is running out fast for Close To My Heart's other June special - "Summer Crush" ...this really is a great deal you won't want to miss out on, all you have to do is purchase any My Crush book and its accompanying assortment and you will receive the co-ordinating stamp set absolutely FREE!  There are five lovely My Crush book offerings for you to choose from and you can find them here.