Sunday, October 31, 2010

November Stamp of the Month Blog Hop

Close To My Heart's November SOTM is a very interesting stamp set. "A Little Thanks" has 16 different images including so many ways to say Thank You that the creative possibilities are endless. In today's fast paced world, we need to remember to say "Thank You" to those who have taken time out of their busy days to pay us a kindness. This set helps us to remember to do just that.

As always, this month there are many many talented CTMH Consultants participating in the hop. If you have gotten here from Melissa's Blog you are on the right track.

This month, I wanted to explore ways that a stamp set can be used that doesn't always fit the intended purpose....I found a great "branch" image included in the set and used "Masking" techniques to turn the branch into a Christmas Wreath.



Here is how I created the wreath....
I started with a piece of Colonial White card stock that measured 3 1/2 inches by 3 1/2 inches and a scrap circle cut approximately 3 inches in diameter.

Using repositionable adhesive, I attached the circle in the center of the square and began to randomly stamp the branch image using New England Ivy ink. This begins to form the outer shape of the wreath.


Once I stamped all the way around the circle, it can be removed and you see the outer edges of the wreath are formed.



I then positioned a 1 1/4 inch scrap circle in the center of the already stamped circle and began the process again. This will form the center of the wreath.




Once I stamped all the way around that circle, it was removed and I began a different "masking technique. I didn't want the stem of the branch to effect the texture of the wreath by creating lines. I covered the bottom portion of the stamp with a sticky note each time I inked the stamp. This way only the ends of the branches were used. Remember to remove the sticky note before you stamp and also remember to change your sticky note often. At this stage, I randomly stamped with both Garden Green and New England Ivy to give the wreath a more natural appearance.

I repeated this process until the center of the wreath was filled in. I made sure to stamp a few branch ends into the center to give a more natural appearance.

Then I sponged the center lightly to fill in the areas not covered.

I cut the image out including the center portion.
I applied ink to the edges and used a "Q-Tip" to get ink on the center edges of the wreath. The wreath is now done to embellish as you wish. In this case, I anchored the Cranberry ribbon using 2 eyelets and added Jingle Brads and Sparkles. Here is the finished card once again...
To finish the card, I used Cranberry card stock that was embossed using my Cuttlebug. The pattern paper is from Mistletoe and the sentiment is one of the wonderful "thank you" thoughts contained in this month's STOM.

So many times, people go out of their way to do an act of kindness during the Holidays and I thought this card would be a perfect way to show how much RAK's are appreciated. It's time to hop on over to Susan's Blog and see what she has created. Thanks for hopping by. For Now, Happy Crafting!

Getting Ready for a "Spooky" Blog Hop

Boo! It's Blog Hop time again and what fun for it to go live on Halloween Night! :o) In anticipation of the big event...here is the list of this month's participants....For Now, Happy Crafting!

Helen Onulak http://www.hookedonstamping.com
Kathleen Androlewicz http://BowlOfStamps.blogspot.com
Kristie Herdener http://www.goofyscrapper.blogspot.com
Jill Lucas http://scrapwench.blogspot.com
Mary Eisen http://mestamp2.blogspot.com
Shannon Buck http://www.stampinbuds.com
Melinda Everitt http://ifyoublingittheywillcome.blogspot.com/
Lori Leng http://pinkcloudscrappers.blogspot.com
Sylvia Jacquot http://stampinsylvia.blogspot.com/
Judy Burger http://www.makingtimeformemories.blogspot.com
Shannon Pelletier http://mycolorfulworldinvt.blogspot.com
Dawn Ross http://iamahappystamper.blogspot.com
Kami Welter http://www.scrappin4memories.blogspot.com/
Melissa Burch http://melissaburch.blogspot.com
Haley Dyer http://inkyscrapper.blogspot.com
Teri Baxter http://www.themidnightartist.blogspot.com
Tammy Lea Pinchard http://mycreativeclubhouse.blogspot.com
Debra Van Patten http://memoriesoftheheartbydeb.blogspot.com
Antoinette Herrin http://www.GodblessyourART.blogspot.com
Melissa Laverty http://www.fancymelissa.com
Carla Ironside http://carlacreates.blogspot.com
Caren Goldstein http://www.scrappycaren.blogspot.com/
Shirley Ross http://www.momnmescrap.blogspot.com
Laurie Newton http://www.scrapsfromthebeach.blogspot.com
Michelle Nist http://www.michellenist.blogspot.com
Terrie Dodd http://www.my-life-in-real-time.blogspot.com
Pamela O'Connor http://cherishyourmemories.blogspot.com
Jen Rubio http://JenRubio.blogspot.com
Sheila Bennett http://sheila-bennett.blogspot.com
Misty Jackson http://www.misstscraps.blogspot.com
Beth Naumann http://www.bethscreativeblock.blogspot.com
Georgia Hauglid http://inkygeorgia.blogspot.com/
Annette Green http://AnnettesCreativeJourney.blogspot.com
Carol Horton http://carol-scrappininparadise.blogspot.com
Katy Donaldson http://www.scrappinkaty.blogspot.com
Adeline Brill http://www.adeline-brill.blogspot.com
Melissa Robinson http://www.mlisrobinson.blogspot.com
Cindy Leek http://www.paperspadsandpictures.blogspot.com
Susan Brooks stampingintheopen.blogspot.com
Wanda Riley http://Creatingwithwanda.blogspot.com
Cindy Appleman http://applescrapsbycindy.blogspot.com
Carol Harris http://www.carol-harris.blogspot.com
Angela Tutton http://www.tuttonstreasures.blogspot.com
Dawn Heuft http://stamptildawn.blogspot.com
Brae Montgomery http://thebrae-er.blogspot.com
Michelle Loncar http://michelleloncar.blogspot.com
Toni Hinchcliffe http://whollycrafts.blogspot.com
Doreen Guilfoyle http://whereisyourhappyplace.blogspot.com
Lori Brown http://www.savingmine.blogspot.com
Jody Gustafson http://www.cre8nmemories.blogspot.com
Kim O'Rear http://kimorear.blogspot.com
Traci Godbee http://createwithtraci.blogspot.com
Kimberly Smith http://verykimberry.blogspot.com
Jen Patrick http://roxybonds-scrappin.blogspot.com
Jenifer Benner http://www.jensmessystudio.com
Nancy Brown http://creativelyartsygallery.blogspot.com/
Sarita Schraeder http://www.blessedscrapper.com
Chris Shouse http://houseostamps.wordpress.com
Wendy Fording http://papercreationsbywendy.blogspot.com
Wendy Coffman http://stampingrules.blogspot.com/
Kathy Lickenbrock http://scrapinkathy.blogspot.com/
Jean McNulty http://stampinmaui.blogspot.com/
Angela Garcia http://angelascraftcloset.blogspot.com

Saturday, October 30, 2010

Craft Fair Christmas Card

Finally a day off from work so I thought that I would make a few cards for my upcoming Craft Fair Tables. This card is made using papers from the "Mistletoe" paper packet and "A Timber." Close To My Heart has recently started reducing the price of several of their My Acrylix Stamp Sets. Yes, reducing! "A Timber" is a great little set that includes not only a Christmas Tree image, but also, six additional very useful images for the Holidays. The set costs only $7.95! Can't beat that with a strand of tinsel! :o)

I used my Nestability Dies to cut both the scallop and oval mats. The tree was stamped in New England Ivy on Colonial White Card Stock and then cut out. I used my gold Spica Pen to color the flourishes. The 4 small snowflakes were punched out of coordinating pattern paper with a touch of Liquid Glass added to the centers. I sponged around the edges, assembled the card popping up the oval mats and tree and tied the pretty cranberry red bow and the card was done!

A quick and easy card using a great inexpensive stamp set. For Now, Happy Crafting!

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

More Craft Fair Items

"It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year"... sometimes I think this quote should be..."It's the Busiest Time of the Year!" :o) My Craft Fair season is in full swing and I am steady creating. I don't know if I have mentioned that Close To My Heart is revamping the Idea Book in 2011. Beginning next year, we will have 2 rather than 3 Idea Books. In light of this change, many of our favorite paper packets will be discontinued effective December 31st in order to make room for the all of the new and wonderful products. Why do I say all this? Well, I am using up much of my older papers on Craft Fair items. I am continually reminded of how pretty the CTMH papers and stamps are and how I am anticipating the release of all the new goodies.

Here are a couple items I have made using some old favorites....

An Altered Date Book featuring Grace and the the matching My Acrylix Stamp Set.


An Altered Journal featuring Splendor and the matching My Acrylix Stamp Set.

One of the many things that makes Close To My Heart products terrific is their timelessness. I'll post more Craft Fair goodies as time goes on. For Now, Happy Crafting!

Friday, October 22, 2010

Holiday Cards!!

My search to find the perfect item for the many Craft Fairs I do continues. Here are two of the most recent cards I've made...


To complete this card, I used my snowflake Embossing Folder and Cuttlebug to make the Heavenly Blue background mat. The second mat was cut using Twilight. (BTW, the matting technique I show here is one that I teach in my Scrapbook and Design Class. I will be starting another round of classes on November 3rd. Check my sidebar for all of the details....) I used "Snow Flurries" for the stamped images. I love this My Acrylix stamp set. It includes multiple flourishes and the "Peace On Earth" sentiment. I applied both Heavenly Blue and Twilight inks (rock and roll stamping) to the snow flourishes and then added just a few mini sparkles for bling.
This card features the new My Acrylix Stamp Set called "Snow Days." The image was stamped in Cocoa and added just a touch of Prisma Glittler. The pattern paper is from the new B/T Duo paper packet called Mistletoe.

Have you started your Christmas Cards yet? CTMH has so many wonderful papers and stamps that I just don't know which one to use next. For Now, Happy Crafting!

Monday, October 11, 2010

Wipe Off Memo Board

Back in July when I went to Convention, we had the opportunity to purchase "bundles" of new products. The products were at a reduced rate it they were quite a deal. One of the groupings I secured highlighted the new Olivia Paper Packet. The package included coordinating stamp sets, embellishments and of course the Level 1 and 2 Paper Packets. I have never really explored the use of Level 1 packets. No particular reason why, I just didn't. The other day I was exploring my stash and relocated the Olivia paper. The Level 1 paper packets are wonderful. Included in the set are sheets of card stock and pattern paper, but also, these pre-designed card stock layouts. I had an "a ha" moment :o) What about using the pre-done layouts for wipe off memo boards!


The Wipe Off Memo boards are a terrific project. Starting with a purchased 12 x 12 frame (with glass) you complete a one page layout. When done and placed in the frame, the glass acts as a memo board. Using the wipe off pens, you can write on the glass and clean it away when your notes are done.




I designed this board to include the option of writing the month, week or day inside the space created on the left by the chipboard frame. I've left plenty of spots to write other notes and lists on the right side of the board. The board features an example of Olivia Level 1 papers, Barn Red, Bamboo and the newest colors of Pear, Sunset and Smoothee. The flowers were stamped using images from a retired set and cut out. The lettering is from the My Stickease stickers that are included in all Level 1 packets.

A wipe off memo board is a quick and easy project and with the Holidays coming wouldn't one of these boards make a terrific Christmas Gift? For Now, Happy Crafting!

Sunday, October 3, 2010

Saturday Craft Fair

Just thought I would post a quick picture of my Craft Fair table from yesterday. Another successful and fun day! I shall post pictures of some of my new items soon. For Now, Happy Crafting!