A Birthday Bouquet

Gosh, so many new and wonderful things in our Spring Seasonal Expressions.......it is crazy. This card features a gorgeous flower image from Hello Lovely - Cardmaking and our NEW word dies.

I started with Slate cardstock and some retired patterned paper, that was sitting precut on my work table. I used my NEW "Happy Birthday" word dies and cut Raspberry and Black cardstock. I stamped this gorgeous bouquet image from, Hello Lovely - Cardmaking, with Versamark ink. Then I embossed with Gold embossing powder. I used my Waterbrush with Raspberry; Fern and Willow inks to colour it in. To finish the card off, I added Slate faceted Gems.

All supplies are Close To My Heart.
Stamp: Dreamin' Big - Cardmaking
Paper: retired
Cardstock: Raspberry; Black; Slate
Ink: Raspberry; Fern; Willow
Embellishments: Slate faceted Gems; Gold Embossing Powder
Tools: Happy Birthday Thin Cuts

Butterflies fly free

I love our new coordinating stamp and die sets, they are so fun to use. I usually break out the die set first and get to cutting lots and lots of shapes. Then I will prestamp all of them with Memento Black ink, in preparation for whatever idea might land in my brain. This set is called, Dreamin' Big - Cardmaking.

This butterfly card is actually the second go at this design. The first set of both vertical and horizontal, I used Raspberry cardstock in the background. This set saw Crystal Blue for the background.

I stamped the butterflies with the following inks: Blossom; Crystal Blue; Lemon; Tangerine; Willow; and Thistle. I felt adding the Black Journaling pen outline made them pop much more, than without. I stamped the sentiment with Black ink. I also coloured each of their wings with our Clear Shimmer Pen.

All supplies are Close To My Heart, unless noted.
Stamp: Dreamin' Big - Cardmaking
Cardstock: Crystal Blue; White Daisy
Ink: Thistle; Tangerine; Lemon; Willow; Crystal Blue; Blossom; Black; Black Journaling pen; Clear Shimmer Pen

Some Kinda Wonderful

With the start of a new year, we also launched a NEW Seasonal Expressions, with all new products! A first must have was coordinating stamp set and dies called: Some Kinda Wonderful - Cardmaking. 

 This combo set is represented by the sweet turtle. I created this two cards, each a little different, using NEW Hello Lovely patterned paper packet. I die cut the turtle, then stamped her with Memento Black ink. I used my Shin Han alcohol markers to colour her in.

On the top card I added a part of a zip strip for the sentiment and some faceted White Gems. I also added a thin strip of Sea Glass Glitter Paper, along with drawing lines with my Black Journaling pen.

The cardstock mats are Glacier and I added a Scalloped Punched edge Whisper border to the top card. On the second card, I stamped a sentiment from the set and punched a zip strip from a retired paper pack. I added Grey faceted gems to the second card and used a different combination of Shin Han markers to colour the sweet turtle. Both cards are on Colonial White card bases.

All supplies are Close to My Heart, unless noted.
Stamp: Some Kinda Wonderful - Cardmaking
Paper: Hello Lovely
Ink: Black; Black Journaling Pen; Shin Han Alcohol Markers
Embellishments: Faceted Gems; Sea Glass Glitter Paper
Other: Memento Black ink

Adore You Stamp of the Month

Happy New Year!

I have been vacant from my blog. I have been enthralled with Instagram and Best Fiends.....those have taken away from my blog dedication. I already made many cards in 2017 and while I can easily take pictures of them with my phone to post to Instagram and Facebook, I haven't clued into how to easily share them on my blog, too. I promise to do better with my blog!

We have this gorgeous Stamp of the Month, for January, called: Adore You. I stamped this flower arrangement with Versamark, then heat embossed with Gold embossing powder. I used my Waterbrush and filled it in with Blossom and Fern inks. I paired it with retired patterned paper and Blossom cardstock. I added some Gold Shimmer Trim and drew in some lines with my Black Journaling Pen. The sentiment is stamped with Black ink.

All supplies are Close To My Heart, unless noted.
Stamp: Adore You - Jan 2017 Stamp of the Month
Patterned Paper - retired
Ink: Black; Black Journaling Pen
Embellishments: Gold Shimmer Trim; Gold Embossing Powder
Tools: Waterbrush
Other: Versamark

Season of Magic

This is the second card in the set of 3, that I created for a recent card class. I am using the wonderful stamp set, Season of Magic, again.

I started with a Desert Sand mat to coordinate with the scalloped circle cut with our Art Philosophy Cricut cartridge. On top of the Sweet Leaf cardstock is a favourite cut from Art Booking from Pomegranate cardstock. I set the size to 5 1/4" for the cut, then just have to trim a little from the shape, to fit the card.

I stamped the wreath with Desert sand with first and second generation ink. I used the handle end of a paint brush, dipped in Pomegranate ink, to create the berries. The sentiment is also stamped with Pomegranate ink.

Finally, I cut the lovely glitter Poinsettia from Flower Market and retired Red and Green Glitter paper. I added a green clear bubble gem to the middle.

All supplies are Close to My Heart.
Stamp: Season of Magic
Cardstock: Desert Sand; Sweet Leaf; Pomegranate; Colonial White; retired Red & Green Glitter
Embellishments: Green bubble gem
Tools: Art Philosophy, Artbooking, and Flower market Cricut cartridges

Christmas cards galore!

Wow, I have been very negligent with my blog.....eek....is anyone out there.....!

I have been toiling away with my craft fair crafts and Christmas cards for classes and to sell. I have completed 2 craft fairs with my final one on Dec 17. I installed the first rack of Christmas cards today and another, at a different location, on Dec 1st.

Then I will take a little excursion to Portland, Oregon for Close To My Heart's Seasonal Expressions Launch and some Christmas shopping.

Here is a card I created for one of my first Christmas card classes, using the fabulous, Season of Magic. I would like to add that often I am inspired by other CTMH Consultants and sometimes copy their work. I do like to give credit where credit is due, so if any of my art looks like something you originally created....Thank you for the inspiration.

For something a wee bit different, the scalloped circle and base mat colour is Desert Sand. Then on Pomegranate cardstock, I random stamped with coordinating ink and White Daisy pigment ink. One the Colonial White circle, I stamped the wreath with Desert Sand ink, then stamped the second generation ink to provide a lighter wreath behind. I stamped the berries with Pomegranate ink and the sentiment with Black ink.

I cut the poinsettias from Flower Market with retired Red and Green Glitter papers. I added some retired Green Glitter gel to the centre of the flower. I also drew a line, with my Black Journaling pen, around the main circle for a bit of focus.

All supplies are Close To My Heart.
Stamp: Season of Magic
Ink: Pomegranate; Black; Desert Sand; White Daisy pigment
Cardstock: Desert Sand; Pomegranate; Colonial White; retired Red & Green Glitter paper
Embellishments: retired Green Shimmer Gel
Tools: Art Philosophy & Flower Market Cricut cartridges

Lovely Leaves to make paper

I LOVE to make my own patterned paper with stamps. I also LOVE leaves. I used Lovely Leaves and covered a sheet of White Daisy cardstock, to make this paper. Then I had some fun colouring with three different marker palettes. I created a set of 6 cards, with 2 of each colour.

 For the above set I added Sangria patterned paper and Ruby cardstock. I coloured with my Shin Han Alcohol markers, then added some retired sequins. Below, I added some retired patterned paper and Sweet Leaf cardstock. The sentiments are stamped in Black ink from a set included with our Cricut Flower Market cartridge.

 For the last set of cards, I used turquoise and green with Fern cardstock. I used retired sequins on all and this card also received some retired patterned paper. 

These cards made a sweet set and the colours could easily be switched up or the leaves could be left uncoloured, too.

All supplies are Close To My Heart.

Stamps: Lovely Leaves; Flower Market Cricut sentiment stamp

Ink: Shin Han Alcohol Markers; Memento Black ink; Black ink

Cardstock: Fern; Ruby; Sweet Leaf; White Daisy

Embellishments: retired Sequins