A Crafting By designs Blog Hop!

Crafting By Designs is one of the hottest new Challenge Blogs and today we are having a Blog Hop!  Our Hop is featuring digi stamps from QKR Stampede and the theme is Spring Flowers.  What a perfect theme as it predicted to be 87 degrees today here in the Philadelphia area. 

 

What a fun card to make!  I love the look of white on white textured mats and thought I would use that style to help show of the pretty flowers that have been colored with my Close To My Heart alcohol markers.  A note about printing digi stamps...  I have learned from experience that if you are using an ink jet printer (like most of us have) print your image on good cardstock.  I like either X-Press It Blending Card or Bazzill Cococnut White.  Let the image "rest" for several hours before you start to color and your ink won't smear.

Head on back to the Crafting By Designs home page to check out more of the design teams wonderful work along with more fun from QKR Stampede.  Make your own spring flower card and using the link, upload your creation.  You could win 5 digi images from QKR Stampede.  For Now, Happy Crafting and Happy Hopping!

CTMH For Always and a 6 x 6 Canvas

Mixed Media, canvas and 3D items are so "hot" right now.  And, they should be!  We spend so much time working on our projects that it is sad to keep them locked up in a closed album or sealed envelope.  CTMH has several new and fun "My Creations" 3D items ready for you to decorate and call your own.

 

This is the 6 x 6 Canvas Display (Z1818) that I decorated.  When you receive the canvas, it is a Colonial White color.  The canvas is stretched on a substantial wood frame so that you can even stamp on the canvas.  To get started on my project, I mixed a few drops of Black re-inker into Pearl Paint (Z1035).  With the create a shade paint, and re-inker, you can create any color that you want.  After it dried, I randomly sponged Ruby Pigment Ink (z2502) on the surface.  A quick note about pigment ink...it is more opaque than dye based ink.  Therefore, it dries more slowly and is great for embossing.  It also is "thicker" and "sits" on the top of your surface making it perfect for 3D objects. 

After everything was dry (doesn't take too long) I set out to decorate the canvas.  My base was the For Always paper packet (X7165B).  CTMH has released these terrific fabric that coordinate with For Always and Chantilly.  Here, I cut a strip, sewed a running stitch down the middle and gathered it for the trim.  I attached it with Liquid Glass ...boy, can you use Liquid Glass for just about anything.  :o)  The Eiffel Tower and cameo were cut using the Artiste Cricut Cartridge (Z1790).  A note about the cameo.  I cut out the frame, inner circle and silhouette.  Using repositionable adhesive, I attached the silhouette and sponged heavily around it using Ruby ink.  When the silhouette was removed, I had a reverse mask.  I stippled the center with Slate ink to give a more realistic look.

This is a close-up of the "melted" flowers that I made using the Satin Polka Dot Ribbon (Z1802).  I added a glitter button (retired) with a sparkle in the center for some bling. 

This is the YouTube Video I did explaining how to do the "melted' flowers.

 

I love the idea of being able to show off my artwork in 3D projects.  They're not hard, you design them with the same thought process as you would any scrapbook layout or card.  With a few dimensional embellishments and some Liquid Glass for adhesive, you've got a great 3D project.  Stop by my website to check out all of the great CTMH products.  For Now, Happy Crafting!

CTMH Chantilly Paper Packet

One of the reasons, I love CTMH papers is that they are absolutely so versatile.  Let me give you an example.  The new Chantilly paper packet (X7163B) is just filled with wonderful spring colors.  Buttercup, Blush, Pear, Sweet Leaf, Hollyhock, Ruby...all coordinate beautifully.  The other great thing is that they are double sided.  In other words, each sheet of B/T Duo's paper and a coordinating reverse side.  It is so cost effective!  So many times, you purchase a paper packet and the back side is white.  What fun is that in your scrapbook albums?  :o)  Also, double sided paper allows to to use up scraps more efficiently.

Here is a cascade card I made using less than a 1/2 sheet of pattern B/T paper!  The green in the middle fold is the reverse side of the brightly colored 1st and 3rd panel.  Look how great they work together and CTMH has made it so simple.  The guess work has been taken out of matching patterns.

Here is another card that I made using scraps from the Chantilly paper packet.  This card, because of the black base, has a totally different feel than the first card, don't you think?  The pinks and reds work beautifully with the black and yet it is still a bright and cheery card. 

One of the great things about CTMH is that everything coordinates so easily.  The stamp I used on the first card is actually a retired stamp from 2 years ago.  Look how great it coordinates with current product.  Once again, CTMH has a cost effective answer to our card making and scrapbooking needs....the products continue to coordinate and work together!  Stop by my website to check out the Chantilly along with the other great CTMH papers.  For Now, Happy Crafting!

CTMH Studio J

I am so sorry that I haven't been around for so long.  Not because I gave up on my blog, but rather, my blog gave up on me!  I haven't been able to post any pictures for some dumb reason.  :o(  But, I must say that I've been busy creating just awaiting the time for my blog to cooperate.

One of the things that I worked with was Studio J.  Every time I do a few Studio J layouts, I realize how much fun they are and how easy it is to create quick and great scrapbook layouts.

Remember last year when I did the Operation Smile Crop?  Well, I had never scrapbooked all of those terrific pictures.  Studio J was just perfect...

Being able to complete these layouts quickly and beautifully brought back such wonderful memories of a day that will bring life changing joy to disadvantage children!  If you were at the crop, look closely as you may be in the pictures!

Next, I share with you the layouts I did for the 2012 Close To My Heart Convention.  Convention is a wonderful experience!  You have the opportunity to meet fellow Consultants the all around America and Canada that you would never have the chance to meet.  You get to visit a city that perhaps you might not get to otherwise and you get a plethora of new product and tips.  You have to be a Consultant to attend, unfortunately.  BUT, right now, there is a great special running...  Sign up to be a Consultant in April for $49 and not only will you get the terrific start up kit, but you will receive the next 4 Stamps of the Month for free!!!  That's over $70 in stamps along with the kit that is a $155 value...all for $49!  You can't beat that deal.  If you were ever considering becoming a Consultant, contact me.  My Papers Pads and Pictures Team is a growing and active group of crafters who love to create and laugh together.  I promise, there are exchanges in ideas, communication and collegiality.

Back to Studio J...If you are sinking in family photos that are trapped on a memory card or computer file, visit my website and give Studio J a try.  If you are already a digital scrapbooker, also stop by my website and give Studio J a try.  I think you will be amazed at the ease and creative possibles in the CTMH Online Scrapbooking Program.  For Now, Happy Crafting!