November Stamp of the Month Blog Hop

Welcome to our Stamp of the Month Blog Hop!
If this is your first time visiting my blog, I invite you to become a follower, subscribe to my emailed posts and last but not least, sign up for the Art Philosophy Cartridge Collection Giveaway!!!

We will be featuring November's SOTM, which is "Cherish the Day S1111", a set of 44 stamps.

If you have come here from Casandra Bennett's blog, you are on the right path! The blog hop is a great big circle, so you can start here and work your way all around. If you get lost along the way, you'll find the complete list of participating consultants HERE.

This month we have 57 Close To My Heart Consultants sharing their creations using this month's SOTM and other great CTMH products on their blogs. 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!

My wonderful sister's birthday is on December 12th so I decided to make her a birthday card, where I can safely put a gift card and have a little piece of my creation go with on her purse, jacket or hair. I folded the tab on the card towards the inside, glued down the sides to form a pocket for the gift card.

I used the Art Philosophy Cartridge for the flower, by cutting out four flowers at 2", 2 1/2", 3" and 3 1/2". Stamped the December image on the flowers with Versa Mark and embossed them with gold embossing powder.

Supplies:
S1111 Cherish the Day stamp set
D1497 Stamp set
Z1349 Shimmer Designer Brads
Z1474 Kraft Die-Cut Cards & Envelopes
Z1617 Dark Chocolate Striped Grosgrain Ribbon
X7139B Typeset Level 2 Paper Packet
Z891 Versa Mark
Z668 Gold Embossing Powder

Now "Hop" on over to Karen Fullam's blog to see her work!
Be sure to visit all the Consultants at their blogs to get some great crafting ideas and other fun ideas! Remember, the November Stamp of the Month is only available until November 30th 2011.
Click on the "Shop CTMH" link below to see how you can get this stamp set for $5!

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CTMH Product Spotlight "Relay Race"

Hi There Everyone!!!

This months spotlight is a little different, we have a "Relay Race".  We  started with an inspiration piece,  found in the CTMH  Idea Book, and took off from there.  If you are coming from Haley's blog, then you are in the right spot.  If not please start at Nikka Geers blog and see what the original piece looks like and visit the following blogs to see how the original piece of artwork changes from person to person.  All the participants only saw the piece before them, so their inspiration came ONLY from that piece.  The picture below was my inspiration and it came from Haley Dryer.

 Here are all the participants of the Relay Race, I invite you to see some pretty amazing artwork and all the different types of artist in the world of scrapbooking and card making.

1. Nikka Geers

2. Adeline

3. Haley Dryer

4. Corina Mitchell (ME)

5. Terry Metzger

6. Tamytha Jenkins

7. Jena

8.Tracy Oleksak

9.Vicki Wizniuk

10. Wendy

11. Kristie

Now please head on over to Terry Metzger's blog and check out what she created using my card as her inspiration.  I know you will love it too!!!

Heart 2 Heart Challenges Blog: Mother's Day

click on image for larger view

Hello Everyone!

This post is bitter-sweet for me... This is my last entry to the H2H Challenges Blog as part of the Design Team, for my term has ended as of this April.  But at the same time, I have some great news to celebrate.  I have been chosen by Close To My Heart to be part of this years 2011 Convention "Extravaganza"  team of instructors.  So May and June will be very busy for me, trying to finish my artwork for this years convention.  Taking Lisa Stenz spot and mine are the very talented Jody Gustafon and Haley Dyer, please visit their blogs and wish them a warm welcome!

 

May 1st brings new sponsors to H2H and they are the brilliant and generous Sharon Holmes and Angel Shifflett, thank you ladies for sponsoring great prizes for the month of May.

For this Mother's Day challenge I thought of the perfect thing that goes with this special day... 

and that is of course ROSES!!!

For these tiny roses I used 1 1/2" squares to cut my flower out and then form the roses.  Don't forget that there is a picture tutorial on how to make these roses on the right side of my blog under "Tutorials".  This was a very simple card to make, very little detail as to NOT to take away from the roses.  Inside of course there is a beautiful stamp image with the phrase, "Happy Mother's Day".

So now visit the rest of the Design Team's beautiful creation and get inspired to make your own creation.  Don't forget to snap a picture of it and link it up to Heart 2 Heart Blog.

• Melinda Everitt
• Lorrinda Holman
• Lisa Stenz
• Karen Day
• Jessica Moore (Sr. DT Mbr.)
• Debbie Carriere
• Corina Mitchell (Me)
• Haley Dyer
• Jody Gustafson

Heart 2 Heart Challenges Blog: Recycle & Reuse

 

This week at Heart 2 Heart Challenges Blog, it's all about recycling and reusing.  I had a some major creative block with this challenge... So much so that I ended up dreaming about it one night.  I dreamed that it was taking a very long time to find something to use, I searched all over my house, my neighbors house, my sisters house and NOTHING.  Then I came home and saw a beautiful card with white/clear/sparkly flowers on my work table!  I apparently had already made the card and didn't know it.

 

So... when I woke up that morning, as I picked up my home a little, I searched for something that would help me make those flowers. It was when I picked up my trash box from my workroom... that I saw this clear bag that I was about to throw out, that I realized.... this clear plastic bag was the perfect thing to make my flowers.

 

All I did was cut the bag into long strips (1 1/2" wide) and used my favorite new toy (Glubers) to twist and position the plastic strips around the Gluber to make the flower.  After they were done, I applied Liquid Glass and sprinkled Prisma Glitter over them... and Viola!!!  

Flowers wouldn't be complete unless they have leaves, so I also cut out some leaves and also added the details with the liquid glass and Prisma glitter.

Now take a look around YOUR space and see what you can recycle and reuse.  Convert your trash into beautiful artwork that you will be proud to showcase.  Remember to snap a picture of it and link it to Heart 2 Heart Challenges blog and be eligible to win a prize and be part of our "Top 10" for the month of April.
Remember to use Close To My Heart products to be eligible to win.


Take a peek at what the rest of the Design Team created for this challenge and become inspired to create your own:

• Melinda Everitt
• Lorrinda Holman
• Lisa Stenz
• Karen Day
• Jessica Moore (Sr. DT Mbr.)
• Debbie Carriere
• Corina Mitchell (Me)

Heart 2 Heart Challenges Blog : April Showers / Spring Blossoms

 

This weeks at Heart 2 Heart Challenges Blog our challenge is to create something with the theme of Spring Flowers / April Showers.  I was thinking that you have seen a lot of flowers from me and not enough rain.  I have to tell you that I LOVE rainy days!!!  I thinks it's because I live in San Diego, California and the fact that we don't get many rainy days in the year, that makes me enjoy them even more.  Rainy days make me think of cozy days, staying in with my kids and husband, fireplace going and comfort food. 

The top picture was taken to with a dark background and I used a flash so the liquid glass can be more visible.  The bottom picture was taken with a light background with NO flash, so the liquid glass with prisma glitter could be more visible for you.

 

If it seems that I have been using a lot of clear cards for my projects lately... well you are correct. I've been trying to get out of making conventional/traditional cards, but keeping in line with CTMH products only.  So... for now I will use up all my clear cards by altering them a little at a time.

 As you can see that I did use a positive sentiment for rain on the card and when you open the card, there is a little cute surprise.   I also like leaving room for a personal message which makes this card more personal.

 Need some more inspiration to create your own card for this weeks challenge?...Then take a peek at what the rest of the DT created:

• Melinda Everitt
• Mary Vogel (Owner)
• Lorrinda Holman
• Lisa Stenz
• Karen Day
• Jessica Moore (Sr. DT Mbr.)
• Debbie Carriere
• Corina Mitchell (Me)

We have two new amazingly generous and talented sponsors this month. LeAnne Dudley and Michelle Zimmerman

Card Recipe: Click on the items to purchase your own!

C1422 Unity Stamp Set 

D1303 Classmate Alphabet

D1378 Notice the Details

D1415 Springtime

X7127B: Magnifique Level 2 Paper Packet

Z1323 Clear Cards

Z679 Liquid Glass

Z134 Prisma Glitter

Heart 2 Heart Challenges Blog : Sketch

Hello Everyone!
This week our challenge on the Heart 2 Heart Blog is  to create a card using this sketch.

I was in the middle of a crop of 7 Close To My Heart consultants when I remembered that I had NOT started my card for the week.  So I put all the birthday cards that I was making for the Divas and got to my sketch.  I kept the them of birthday and I love, love, love the Sweetheart paper and I just think that cupcakes go great with this paper packet.  I used a combination of cardstock and our clear cards to make the circle as a window.

So guess what everybody?....

For this week only, Heart 2 Heart is doing a prize for one lucky person who enters this weeks challenge.

So hurry, create something amazing and uploaded to us at H2H within this week and you may be the lucky winner this week.  Can't wait to see what you all create!!!

April Sponsors will be announced soon, so check back to see who April sponsor will be.

Heart 2 Heart Design Team

• Melinda Everitt
• Mary Vogel (Owner)
• Lorrinda Holman
• Lisa Stenz
• Karen Day
• Jessica Moore (Sr. DT Mbr.)
• Debbie Carriere
• Corina Mitchell (Me)

Heart 2 Heart Challenges Blog : Baby

 

Hi Everyone!

This week at Heart 2 Heart Challenges Blog it's all about the BABY!

So this week, was a little challenging for me, time wise.  But I was able to make this simple but adorable baby shower goodie for you all to see.  I first saw these little baby bottles in Tijuana inside a store window display.  So of course I wanted to create them using Close To My Heart paper and as luck would have it, the challenge this week was about babies.  This is a simple project and it really just took me about 5 minutes to make.

 

You can make these in every color you can think of and they are just adorable for your guest to have as a little reminder from a baby shower or you can print your baby's information on the white cardstock and use them as little birth announcements.

Project Recipe:

Hollyhock cardstock : 6 1/4" X 1 1/4" strip, dry emboss with lines and sand paper to show white lines

Desert Sand Cardstock or Kraft paper: 3" Circle fold in half, and a little rectangle for the nipple.

Plastic storage bags 3" X 4": Walmart in a package of 100 units, they are very inexpensive, I use them for extra embellishments, jewelry, etc... 

White card stock for the inside

Candy, 

Ribbon

and paper flowers.

• Melinda Everitt
• Mary Vogel (Owner)
• Lorrinda Holman
• Lisa Stenz
• Karen Day
• Jessica Moore (Sr. DT Mbr.)
• Debbie Carriere
• Corina Mitchell (Me) 

Don't forget!... you have the entire month to play along with these challenges.  Deadline to enter all March challenges is March 26th, 2011 at 10 pm EST. The more you play, the more chances you have to win the prizes from our lovely sponsors Angela Parchey and Lori Brown.

I hope that you are now inspired to create your very own "Baby" creation and share it with us at H2H!

CTMH Spotlight Blog Hop: Technique

Hello Everyone!

This month on the CTMH Spotlight Blog Hop, we are featuring techniques.  If you just joined me from Tracey Oleksak's blog, you are in the right path.  If not... No worries, it's a full circle! Continue on your journey and you will be able to check out all the fabulous artwork.

It was very tough to decide what to do and which technique to use.  After long consideration, I went with the good old "Embossing".

 

Instead of going the traditional embossing on paper, I used our "Clear Cards" Z1323.  I selected these little flowers that go very well with the Sophia stamp set and ran the clear card through the Big Kick.  I stamped the matching flower images, cut them out and placed them in the same places as the embossed flowers. 

 

The sparkles are on the outside of the card and for more dimension, I added some flowers to the outside too. There is first and second generation stamped images for the grass.  The flowers were stamped with Creme Brulee and then I used the finger dauber to add Hollyhock ink to the stamp and then re-stamped right on top of the original image.

I have to be very honest with you all... I really don't like to add sentiments to the cards I make.  Recently, I have been adding sentiments because of the challenges, but I like having the option of having blank cards for any occasion.  Once I know what I'm going to use the card for, THEN I stamp the appropriate sentiment. LOL!!!  

Now head on over to Laurie Flannery's blog and check out some more fabulous techniques!

Here is the list of all the participants

Wendy Kessler 
Tracy Oleksak 
Corina Mitchell (ME) 
Laurie Flannery 
Tamytha Jenkins 
Haley 
Jill (Scrap Wench) 
Adeline Brill 
Luisa Morgan 
Nikka Geers

Stamp sets used for this card:

B1379 Sophia (exclusive only on the Sophia WOTG)

D1436 The Present

Techniques:

First, second and third generation stamping 

Heart 2 Heart Challenges: 3 Times

Hello Everyone!

This week at Heart 2 Heart Challenges blog we are creating scenes with THREE or more images.  

I don't know what it was about the word "Scene" that all I could think about with this challenge was a nice view of the beach, desert or forest.  So when looking for the perfect stamp sets, I was able to find a couple of sets in my inventory.  And what was even better was that both stamp sets are current and still in the idea book. Woo-Hoo!!!

• Melinda Everitt
• Lorrinda Holman
• Lisa Stenz
• Karen Day
• Jessica Moore (Sr. DT Mbr.)
• Debbie Carriere

I hope that you are now inspired to create your very own "3 Times" image creation and share it with us at H2H!

Don't forget - you have the entire month to play along with these challenges.  Deadline to enter all March challenges is March 26th, 2011 at 10 pm EST. The more you play, the more chances you have to win the prizes from our lovely sponsors Angela Parchey and Lori Brown.