April Showers Bring May Flowers - A Flower Pot Card

The challenge over at Heart 2 Heart Challenge Blog was right on time today!  Yesterday I started putting together my May Workshop and this morning comes along the challenge.  The challenge is to create flowery creations...so here is mine...a flower pot card!

The "flower pot" is cut from CTMH Crystal Blue and covered with a retired Creative Basics pattern called Emporium.  The flowers and leaves are cut using, what else, the Art Philosophy Cricut Cartridge.  Besides the Crystal Blue, I used Sweet Leaf, Vineyard Berry, Cocoa and Blush card stock.  The fun part about the card  is the hidden pocket for your sentiment...

The hidden sentiment is from CTMH Beautiful Friendship My Acrylix Stamp Set.  I've also used Card Word Puzzle and the little tiny flourish is from a retired set called "Smiles." 

This is a really fun card and if you attend my monthly workshop, this is one of the cards you'll be making!  Don't forget to check out the Heart 2 Heart Challenge for more fun projects created with Close To My Heart products.  For Now, Happy Crafting!

A Fun Photo Frame

I've spent the last few days working at my floral job at Michalels.  As you know, I am the floral designer at my local store in addition to teaching the Paper Crafting classes there.  I thought it would be fun to post one of my store samples.  This is a class that I will be teaching later in May.

This is a painted wooden frame and the sentiment and flourishes have been heat embossed with 2 colors of distressing inks applied.  Both images are Tim Holtz as well as the inks.  The sparkles are from Recollections and the hand rolled flower is made using an EK Success punch.  The leaves are from a Martha Stewart punch/stamp. 

This sample is proudly hanging near the Martha Stewart/Tim Holtz products in the store.  So, if you are in the Philadelphia PA area, stop by the Bala Cynwyd store and sign up for one of my classes.  For Now, Happy Crafting!

"A Note" for Mojo Monday

In between designing projects for my many workshops, I took a little time today to create a card for the Mojo Monday blog.  Mojo Monday is a fun site that weekly offers a sketch challenge. 

I haven't played with my Copic Airbrush System in quite a while so I thought it would be fun to dust it off.  I took a sheet of White Daisy and sprayed it with BG10 and B02.  I cut the pieces for the background.  The A2 tent card base is made using Sky and the first mat is Pacifica.    The scallop circle is Sky and the cute fish (colored with my Copics) is from the new set called "Under The Sea." 

By the way, here is the Mojo Monday Sketch...

For Now, Happy Crafting!

Heart 2 Heart Photo Inspiration

The last several weeks, I've have fun playing along with the Heart 2 Heart Blog Challenge.  This week, the challenge is a fun photo challenge.  First, let me post my card and then I'll explain my inspiration...

...here is the inspiration photo...

In the picture, I saw Hollyhock, Sorbet and Juniper immediately as the dominate colors so I set out to put together a card.  I chose the Elemental pattern that feature Sorbet.  I came up with the sketch to mimic the wall behind the sink and tub.  If you look closely, the Colonial White panel has been scored to reflect the wainscoting and the Sorbet strip is the top portion where it meets the wall.  The Happy Birthday Sentiment was framed using my Art Philosophy Cricut Cartridge to pick up the framing of the mirror.  The piece of Juniper ribbon on the Sorbet strip represents the towels.  Last, but not least, the 3D flowers were cut with Art Philosophy and popped up to reflect the flowers on the wall.  By the way, those are pearls in the centers of the flowers.

What fun!  I posted before about drawing inspiration from the world around you and this card is no different.  Even though there really is nothing resembling the picture in my card, you can see how I used the picture to design my project.

Don't forget to hop over to Heart 2 Heart to check out other great creations featuring Close To My Heart products.  For Now, Happy Crafting!

A Little Bit of Everything...

Good Morning!  I have been so busy creating, how about you?  I wanted to show off a couple fun pictures...the first one is from my weekend Workshop...What fun we had.  This is everyone showing off the card portfolios we made featuring CTMH Florentine paper.

I had to take this picture.  Before class, I was walking in the backyard of my studio.  I spotted these Blue Bells blooming.  Oh what a smile it brought to my face.  I remember these blooming when I was a little kid...  :o)

And, last but not least, here are a couple of the fun floral arrangements that I have been doing at the store.

My goal today is to complete a few paper projects and get them posted.  For Now, Happy Crafting!



Dotty For You Meets Heart 2 Heart

The last few weeks I have been playing along with the Heart 2 Heart weekly challenge.  This is a blog that features Close To My Heart products.  What makes it so much fun, are the samples and unlimited ways to use CTMH goodies.  This week's challenge is to add stitching to your project.  Recently, I've done a few projects with stitching.  So in order to complete the challenge, I dug out that terrific stamp set that features faux stitching (Stitched Together C1459) and combined it with the new CTMH campaign "Dotty For You" and a cute new stamp set called Under The Sea (C1500.)

I used a Colonial White Die Cut Card (Z1738) as a base.  I combined Papers from Dotty For You and Pacifica to create a watery feel.  There are actually 3 different patterns used on this card from the Dotty For You packet!  The background paper, the mat for the cute little fish is actually a circle punched out from one of the papers and the chevron stripes are cut from a third piece.  See how well they work together?  By the way, I used my watercolor pencils to color the fish.

This is a second card I did using Dotty For You along with the same stamp set.  The Lagoon stripe has been scored on the diagonal and then sanded.  The fish was colored with my Copics.

Visit my website for more samples of the Dotty For You papers.  The paper packet can be yours for $5 after you spend $35 on products featured in the current Idea Book.  It is well worth it!  And, don't forget to check out the Heart 2 Heart challenge blog for more fun Close To My Heart ideas.  For Now, Happy Crafting!

A Challenge on Crafting by Designs

Good Morning Everyone!  It is my turn to host the April Get Ready For Christmas Challenge over at Crafting by Designs.  The goal is to get you Holiday card stash going so that we're not running around like chickens in November and December.  I provided a sketch and a sample card to get everyone going.

This is my card...The image is from Hampton Arts and all the other products are from Close To My Heart.  The bonus project on the challenge is to add a bow to your card.  I tried to do a written tutorial on how to tie a bow, but couldn't get it to work.  So, I turned it into a YouTube video.

Hop on over to Crafting By Designs for some fun projects.  For Now, Happy Crafting!

Another Heart 2 Heart Challenge Card Using Elemental

I love doing challenges and I especially love sketch challenges.  This week over at Heart 2 Heart there is a sketch challenge!  Just perfect for me...  :o)

I studied this sketching thinking about what stamp set I wanted to use and all of a sudden it hit me!

I just love Lagoon and Pacifica together!  I think it is so calming. And, if you remember our discussions on color matching, blue and green are next to each other on the color wheel making them a perfect match every time you put them together.  Each of the colors also have the "gray value."  Perfect every time!  The pattern paper is from Elemental.  This is a current paper packet that is perfect for so many uses.  It contains colorful geometric patterns.  The little duckie is from another of my favorite retired stamp sets called "Makin' Waves." and the sentiment is from a current stamp set called "A Tweet."   The ribbon and "metal" is from the Pacifica Mini-Medley Accents Collection.  BTW, the duckie was colored with my Copics.

Don't forget to check out the Heart 2 Heart Challenge Blog for more great Close To My Heart projects.  For Now, Happy Crafting!

A Picture Inspires a Handmade CTMH Card!

I am often asked where do I get the inspiration for my creations.  Well, the answer is the world around me!  I am always thinking about how I can turn what I see into a paper crafting project.  Earlier today, I was thinking about the Spring season and sitting on my patio.  I remembered a great picture that I had taken a couple years ago and a card immediately sprung into my mind.

I love the hummingbirds that come to visit my garden each summer.  These magnificent creatures just fascinate me.  How do they dart from flower to flower so quickly and with such ease?  It is a miracle of life that these 6cm (3 1/2 inch) beauties sometimes migrate thousands of miles twice a year.  Each Spring, I eagerly anticipate their arrival after their long trek with brightly colored flowers planted and multiple red nectar feeders filled for them to feast upon.  . 

This card is made using a retired CTMH stamp set called "So Sweet."  The pattern paper is from a retired set called Mayberry.  I did use 2 new products on the card.  There is a the Color Ready Seam Binding.  Love It!!!  It is Colonial White in color and you can sponge ink on it to make in any color you wish.  I also tied a strand of Smoothie Bakers Twine around the ribbon.  The image is colored with my Copics.  By the way, the card stock is Smoothie and Cocoa. 

I thought I would share a photo that I took a few years ago right in my very own garden. 

The world around you can give you all kinds of inspiration for your creations.  Look at photographs, look at your own garden, look in the parking lot at the smiles on children's faces.  For Now, Happy Crafting!

Heart 2 Heart Spring Challenge

I had a few minutes today before I had to head off to work, so I thought that I would make a card to enter in to the Heart 2 Heart Blog Challenge this week.  Heart 2 Heart is a weekly blog challenge that features Close To My Heart products.  This week's challenge is to create an Easter or Spring themed card.

One of my favorite stamp sets has always been "Bunny Love."  It is retired now, but the bunnies remain just as cute.  For fun, I made a diamond pop up card that really highlighted one of the little guys.

I used a sheet of pattern paper from "Lucy," one of the fun new paper packets.  The back trim and larger mat is done in Sweet Leaf and the small highlight mat is Blush.

This picture shows the folding mechanism behind the pop up diamond.

And, this is the cute little bunny colored with my Copics. 

It is a beautiful day here in Philly so I am not too happy about having to go o work.  With Spring here, it is time to begin working in my garden.  It is also time to make some fun, brightly colored cards!  For more inspiration featuring CTMH products, hop on over to the Heart 2 Heart Challenge blog.  For Now, Happy Crafting!

City Crafter Challenge - Spring Fling - A Handmade Easter Card

I haven't played along with the City Crafter Challenge Blog is quite awhile so I thought it would be fun to take up their challenge this week.  The challenge was Spring Themed and you were to create a card that uses 2 shades of pink, yellow, green and blue.

Close To My Heart has a new stamp set called "Lovely Lily" (B1401).  I only used the set once, so this was the perfect time to color the wonderful lily with my Copics.  The base of the card is Hollyhock, the first mat is White Daisy and the mats around the focal image are Blush and Crystal Blue.  I worked in the yellow and green when coloring the lily.

It is a Clean and Simple card (CAS).  I wanted to make that kind of card to show off the pretty lily.  I've always enjoyed playing along with the CCCB.  For Now, Happy Crafting!

Creating Backgrounds with CTMH Re-inkers and a YouTube Video Tutorial

Well, I threatened it, so I did it!  I completed another YouTube Video!  I have been experimenting with the CTMH re-inkers and rubbing alcohol inks for the past few days.  I finally got the technique perfected so I went ahead and did a video.  First off, before the video, I had to make a couple cards to show off. 

I

I used the re-inker technique to create the frame (cut on the Cricut with the Art Philosophy cartridge) and the focal image.  The sketch was taken from this week's sketch challenge over at Mojo Monday.



Here is another card that I did using the re-inkers and rubbing alcohol.

This card is done in Tulip, Sunset and Cocoa.  The largest mat that just peaks out is from the new Stella paper packet.

And, here is the link to the infamous new video...

I really had fun creating the video and experimenting with the re-inkers and alcohol.  All the details on how are made the backgrounds are included on the video.  For Now, Happy Crafting!

Class Floral Arrangement

Good Morning Everyone!  I finished my last floral class the other night and wanted to share the arrangement.  I had to wait to post it because the flowers were so fresh that they were not even fully open until today.  This is an arrangement that features the use of marbles in a tall vase.  I did have to re-work it when I got home as it dumped over 3 times in the car on the way home.  :o)

I spent the day yesterday working on a special new paper crafting technique for my April Workshop.  I have a video planned to explain it.  Stop back later today as my goal is to get it posted later today.  Curious?  :o)  For Now, Happy Crafting!