Is it too early for Easter cards?

It might be too early to be sending Easter cards, but it has not been too early for me to be making lots. Here is a very simple one, that I am sure I probably copied from someone! If I did, thank you for the idea.

I started with a White Daisy card base, then used Hollyhock cardstock for a mat and sponged Desert Sand ink on the edges of 2 layers. I cut this sweet bow with my Artiste Cricut cartridge, from Ivy Lane paper. I stamped the sentiment from, Say It In Style, with Hollyhock ink. I added a retired Bigger Brad to the centre of the bow.

All supplies are Close To My Heart.
Stamp: Say It In Style
Paper: Ivy Lane
Cardstock: White Daisy; Hollyhock
Ink: Hollyhock; Desert Sand
Embellishments: Blush Bigger Brad
Tools: Artiste Cricut cartridge

Flight of the Arrows

Of all the recent background stamp sets released, I would have to say "Flight of the Arrows" is my favourite. I used this set along with some other great, NEW products from Close To My Heart's Spring/Summer Idea Book.

 These cards were made for my March, Embossing & Die cutting class. We stamped coordinating ink on Whisper cardstock with this wonderful arrow stamp from, Flight of Arrows. The pattern paper is from Laughing Lola and we embossed it, then lightly rubbed Black ink over top, to highlight the quatrefoil pattern.

The sentiments are from Joyful Birthday and were stamped in Black ink, over top of the arrows again in Whisper ink. We added a strip of Pink Glitter paper and these sweet cards were done.

All supplies are Close To My Heart, unless noted.
Stamps: Flight of the Arrow; Joyful Birthday
Paper: Laughing Lola
Cardstock: Whisper; White Daisy; Black; Pink Glitter
Ink: Black; Whisper
Tools: Art Philosophy Cricut cartridge
Other: Quatrefoil Embossing folder

Girls Rock with scraps!

I try to use up my cardstock scraps as often as possible. This scrap is the one always left over after I have cut a 4 x 12 strip; then cut 2 pieces 4 x 5 1/4. I have a bag full of these 4 x 1 1/2 sized pieces.

These are Blush; Cotton Candy; special kit coloured pink; and Ruby. I have stamped them using Desert Sand ink and the flower pattern from, In The Background. The main flower is from, Girls Rock. I used the stamp rolling technique by inking the stamp in Blush ink, then rolling the outside edge with Sunset ink.  You can not see it, but I have added a wee bit of Stardust Glitz to the centre of the flower.

All supplies are Close To My Heart.
Stamp: Girls Rock; In The Background
Ink: Blush; Sunset; Desert Sand
Cardstock: Blush; Cotton Candy; Ruby; White Daisy; Colonial White
Tools: Art Philosophy Cricut cartridge

Balloon Talk

I wanted to try a little ink out on our April stamp of the month, Balloon Talk. Here is a quick and simple card.

I ran my White Daisy cardstock base through a Spellbinders 8 1/4" x 11 3/4" embossing folder, called Graduated Dots. I added 4 styles of Washi tape first on White Daisy cardstock, then adhered them to the card. I stamped the sentiment on a Dimensional Element with Smoothie ink. I edged the DE with Desert Sand ink.

All supplies are Close To My Heart, unless noted.
Stamp: Balloon Talk, April Stamp of the Month
Ink: Smoothie; Desert Sand
Embellishments: Washi Tape; Quotes Dimensional Elements
Other: Spellbinders Graduated Dots M'Bossibilities

Taylored Expressions Cutting Plates

I recently purchased these wonderful cutting plates from Taylored Expressions.

 The top cutting plate is called, Scribbles. I cut it from Slate cardstock and mounted it on a Whisper card base. The sentiment is from a retired stamp set, stamped in Black ink on Crystal Blue cardstock.

This card used TE's Retro cutting plate from Whisper cardstock. I mounted it on a Slate card base. The sentiment is from Joyful Birthday and is stamped in Slate ink on White Daisy cardstock. I have added a Black mat behind the sentiment.

All supplies are Close To My Heart, unless noted.
Stamps: Joyful Birthday
Cardstock: Slate; Whisper; White Daisy; Black; Crystal Blue
Ink: Slate; Black
Other: Taylored Expressions Retro & Scribbles cutting plates

Dot and Damask Embossing

With Close To My Heart's release of embossing folders, I have found a renewed joy to incorporating embossing in my cards.

 These two are so basic and simple. I used Colonial White cardstock and Desert Sand ink. Both sentiments are from, Say It In Style. These are CTMH's NEW Dot and Damask embossing folders.

All supplies are Close To My Heart.
Stamp: Say It In Style
Cardstock: Colonial White
Ink: Desert Sand
Tools: Dot & Damask embossing folders

Easter Egg Colouring

Continuing on with more gorgeous Lagoon, here is card utilizing a screen cut from Artbooking and NEW Mini stamp, Colored Egg.

This sweet Easter card begins with White Daisy cardstock. I used this lovely patterned Lagoon paper from Skylark, again. I added a piece of a screen I cut with Artbooking, from Sweet Leaf cardstock.

I stamped this egg, from Colored Egg, with Memento Black ink. I coloured it with Gypsy; Lagoon and Sweet Leaf alcohol markers. The sentiment is from, Say It In Style, stamped in Black ink. The mat behind the egg is Gyspy cardstock. I added some Purple Glitter Gems and Sweet Leaf stitched grosgrain ribbon to finish the card.

All supplies are Close To My Heart, unless noted.
Paper: Skylark
Stamp: Colored Egg; Say It In Style
Cardstock: White Daisy; Sweet Leaf; Gypsy
Ink: Black; Sweet Leaf, Gypsy, Lagoon Alcohol Markers
Embellishments: Purple Glitter Gems; Sweet Leaf stitched grosgrain
Other: Memento Black ink

How about some fabric embossing?

I seem to be hanging on to all things, Close To My Heart Lagoon! In addition to my Lagoon, I got a little creative with our NEW Spring Skylark Textiles and Dot embossing folder.

I started with a Kraft cardstock base, just for something different. I added White Daisy cardstock, then this gorgeous patterned Lagoon paper from NEW Skylark.I cut ribbon strips of each new Skylark Textiles and adhered them to the paper. I stamped the opposite corners in Desert Sand, with an image from, Believe in  Yourself. Then I ran the entire paper, with textiles attached, through my Fuse inside our Dot embossing folder. Then I swiped Desert Sand ink over top to highlight the embossing.

I stamped the bird image in Desert sand, from Believe in Yourself. I also stamped a script image from a retired background set, in Desert Sand ink. Finally the sentiment in Black ink. This White Daisy piece was mounted on Lagoon, then Kraft cardstock. I added some gold Sparkles from the Brown & Tan Assortment on the stamped corners.

All supplies are Close To My Heart.
Paper: Skylark
Stamp: Believe in Yourself; retired background; Thank You
Ink: Desert Sand; Black
Cardstock: Kraft; White Daisy; Lagoon
Embellishments: Skylark Textiles; Brown & Tan Sparkle Assortment
Tools: Dot Embossing folder

Another Paper Fundamentals layout.

I LOVE Close To My Heart's NEW Paper Fundamentals. Along with a sheet of Fundamentals, I used some die cutting tools to bring this layout together.

 I used some Impression Obsession cat die cuts for this border of Desert Sand cats. I edged each of them with Cocoa ink, then lined them up to create a border. The "LOVE" is cut from Artiste in Sky cardstock, then stamped with an image from, Distressed Backgrounds, in Desert Sand ink. I wanted to tone down the blue a bit, but still have something to pick up the blue in the cat's eyes.

I added Hemp Bakers Twine and the sentiment shape is also cut from Artiste. It is also first stamped with the same image from, Distressed Backgrounds, before I used our Journaling pen. I also added Green Epoxy Dots to pick up a bit of the green in my white cat's, Sasha's eye. She had one blue and one green eye and was a very special cat.

This close up shows a few more of the embellishment details. I mounted the photo on Desert Sand cardstock and along with "Love" are both on foam squares for more dimension.

All supplies are Close To My Heart, unless noted.
Paper: Paper Fundamentals
Cardstock: Sky; Desert Sand; White Daisy
Stamp: Distressed Backgrounds
Ink: Desert Sand; Black Journalling pen
Embellishments: Hemp Bakers Twine; Green Epoxy Dots
Tools: Artiste Cricut cartridge
Other: Impression Obsession Cats

Cherry Blossoms abound!

It was fitting to use Cherry Blossom embossing folders for my March Embossing & Die cutting class, since they are almost in full bloom, here in Victoria.

 I used Whisper cardstock to emboss this cherry blossom pattern. the top layer was sanded to expose Close To My Heart's white core. Then Blush ink was swiped across the top. I used a retired Chocolate marker to draw over top of each of the branches. I also added a wee bit of Stardust Glitz gel on each of the tiny buds.

The dark mats are Chocolate cardstock and the sentiments were also stamped with coordinating ink. Both sentiments are from retired sets with images depicting cherry blossoms.

All supplies are Close To My Heart, unless noted.
Cardstock: Whisper; Chocolate; White Daisy
Ink: Chocolate; Blush; Chocolate marker
Embellishments: Stardust Glitz
Other: Spellbinders M'Bossabilities folder

Embossing and a Challenge

Spring time in Victoria starts with cherry blossoms. Cherry blossoms always make me want to create with Pink and Grey. This is one of the cards for my March Embossing and Die cutting class. I am also going to enter it in the Dynamic Duos challenge.

I started with Whisper cardstock, then embossed with this classic swirls folder. I sanded the raised swirls expose the white core of Close To My Heart's cardstock. Then I rubbed Blush ink across the top. Then I flipped this piece over and rubbed Slate ink on the back. It took a lot of ink, but the darker grey finally seeped through to the front.

I cut both sentiment shapes with Art Philosophy. The flourish is stamped in Blush ink from set, Love Life. The sentiment is from retired, You are My Happy, in Black ink. I added Slate Polka Dot Washi tape and Silver Shimmer Trim, in addition to Sparkles.

All supplies are Close To My Heart, unless noted.

Stamps: Love Life; retired  You Are My Happy

Cardstock: Whisper; Blush; White Daisy

Ink: Slate; Blush; Black

Embellishments: Slate Polka Dot Washi; Silver Shimmer Trim; Sparkles

Tools: Art Philosophy Cricut cartridge

Other: Swirls Embossing Folder

Paper Fundamentals for New Product Blog Hop

When I first saw Close To My Heart's NEW Paper Fundamentals, I knew I had pictures to scrapbook that could be featured on these spectacular glossy resist papers.

This photo is from our summer vacation last year, spent in Yachats, Oregon. We love to spend time there every summer and this afternoon we spent in the water with our daughters. We had fun running away and into the tide. This picture made me smile because my husband was like a little kid playing in the water.

 I started with the Black chevron page, as it made this shadowed image of my husband pop. I mounted the photo on Pacifica cardstock, then sponged Black in around the outside of both the photo and cardstock. The strip of patterned paper is from Ariana. I keep going back to this paper package for this blue pattern and the stripes on the reverse.

I cut the criss cross screen and "My Sunshine" from Artbooking, in Sweet Leaf and Pacifica cardstock. I inked the sentiment edges with Black ink. The ribbons are cut from Skylark and Ariana patterned paper. I added Sweet Leaf stitched grosgrain and Outdoor Denim chevron ribbon. The metal frame and brads are from a retired Olive embellishment package.

I used letters from the Keyboard Kraft Alphabet, for my headings. I covered both with Liquid Glass, for an additional texture. I added a card from Skylark Picture My Life for my description and wrote with our Black Journaling Pen. Here are close ups of each element.

All supplies are Close To My Heart.
Paper: Skylark; Skylark Picture My Life; Ariana; Paper Fundamentals
Cardstock: Pacifica; White Daisy
Ink: Black; Black Journaling Pen
Embellishments: Kraft Keyboard Alphabet; Olive Mini Medley; Liquid Glass; Sweet Leaf stitched grosgrain ribbon; Outdoor Denim chevron ribbon
Tools: Artbooking Cricut cartridge

Spring/Summer NEW Product BLOG HOP

It is time for another Spring/Summer NEW Product BLOG HOP!

I recently celebrated my 19th Wedding Anniversary, on January 28th. This is the card I made for my beloved husband, Randy.

I used patterned paper from Ariana along with Outdoor Denim cardstock. I have to double check each time I see this paper, to be sure it is from Ariana. This paper pack is so versatile with corals; greens; and blues to fit almost any bill. 

I stamped the flourish, from Inspiration Flourishes, in second generation Outdoor Denim ink. I stamped the bird from, Believe In Yourself and the postage stamp & mark from Balloon Ride WOTG in Outdoor Denim ink, also. The sentiment is from, Big Hug and is stamped with White Daisy pigment ink on Outdoor Denim cardstock.

I added part of a flourish in sparkles, from Sparkles Clear Flourishes - Small. I also edged all of the pieces and parts with Desert Sand in, by sponge.

All supplies are Close to My Heart.
Stamps: Big Hug; Inspiration Flourishes; Believe In Yourself; Balloon Ride WOTG
Paper: Ariana
Cardstock: Outdoor Denim; White Daisy
Ink: Outdoor Denim; White Daisy pigment
Embellishments: Sparkles Clear Flourishes - Small

Check out all of the great artwork created on our New Product Blog Hop.