Sunday Stamps Color Challenge #53 with a Try Stampin' on Tuesday Sketch #124

Welcome back to another Sunday Stamps Challenge!  This two week period features a color challenge--blue, orange and yellow.  Here is the inspiration photo:

 

Last Friday evening my friend Doris made a "Hole in One" during league play and I wanted to make her a special card to commemorate this special event.  When I saw the Try Stampin' on Tuesday Sketch #124  I knew how I would do it using the Sunday Stamps colors and TSOT sketch.  The products I used are all from Close To My Heart although the Tee Time stamp set retired several years ago.  The CTMH paper colors are Pacifica, Sunset and Creme Brulee with Sunset and Pacifica inks. The "congrats" greeting is from Say it in Style (CTMH retired).

Here is the inside of the card:

Here is the Try Stampin' on Tuesday sketch:

Please head on over to the Sunday Stamps blog to see what the rest of the talented Design Team has to share with you and leave them some appreciation.  We would love for you to join in the challenge--you have until Friday, July 12 at 6PM EST to link up your creation here.  Please be sure to mention (and link back) to Sunday Stamps if you enter the challenge.

You can visit the rest of the Design Team's blogs here:
Hayley, Joan, Brenda,  and Kathya

Thanks for stopping by!  Have a wonderful week filled with fun and creativity!

:) Marie

Color Dare #49 Using Artiste Birthday Boy Key

Welcome back to another Color My Heart Color Dare post!  This week the challenge is to use the Close To My Heart colors Cranberry, White Daisy and Pacifica which would be great colors for a Fourth of July card.  Instead I chose to combine this challenge with the Rose Blossom Garden Challenge #6 to use the CTMH Artiste cricut cartridge Birthday Boy key (pg.68) to create a papercrafted item.  The Cranberry rocket was accent 1 cut at 2.75" and the Pacifica "night sky" with stars cut out--which is supposed to be a party hat--was cut at 3.75" and was trimmed to fit the top corner of the card.  Underneath the Pacifica hat shape is a piece of metallic cardboard that was left over from a foil takeout container.  I used a Sponge Dauber and Pacifica ink to eliminate the white core of the Pacifica CS.  The greeting was generated on the computer and layered over Whisper CS.  The final touch was the application of Silver Glitz Glitter Gel coming from the end of the rocket.  I'm also entering this card into the Less is More Challenge 125 to  make a birthday card for Jen.

Here is a photo of the metallic food container lid that I repurposed for the stars:

Please head on over to Color My Heart Color Dare and be inspired by what the rest of the Design Team has created.  You'll be glad you did.  We welcome you to submit your papercrafted creations using only these three colors--Cranberry, White Daisy and Pacifica (with neutral colors if you so desire.)  Don't have these Close To My Heart colors?  No problem--you may substitute similar colors.

And now for some EXCITING NEWS:

I'm on the new Design Team for Heart 2 Heart Challenges which will run from July through December 2013!  I became aware of this Challenge blog almost 3 years ago when I began blogging and was drawn to it because it features my favorite products--Close to My Heart.  I am thrilled to be selected to join this very talented group of Close To My Heart consultants whose work I have admired for quite awhile.   Every two weeks I will be sharing a papercrafted project using Close To My Heart products.  New challenges are listed on Mondays and you have the calendar month to link your artwork up.  Please come play along with me there!

Thanks for stopping by!  Have a wonderful week filled with fun and creativity!
:) Marie

Double Nickel Birthday Card for Atlantic Hearts Sketch #9 and H2H Favorite Color Challenge

Today is my sister's "Double Nickel" birthday so I incorporated that special marker on her birthday card.  Following the Atlantic Hearts Sketch #9 with my favorite colors for the Heart 2 Heart challenge I pieced together this card using retired Close To My Heart Dreamin' paper, Pacifica Ink and  small pieces of Honey and Pacifica cardstock with a White Daisy card base.  I stamped "Birthday" from Just a Number and "55" from Keyboard Uppercase Alphabet.   This was a great sketch to follow to use up small paper scraps!

All shades of blue are my favorite "happy" colors and Pacifica is one of my favorite of the Close To My Heart shades of blue.  Why not make a card featuring your favorite happy colors and link it up to Heart 2 Heart challenges by June 30?

Here is the Atlantic Hearts Sketch #9:

 

You have until Sunday evening, June 30 to enter this challenge.

Thanks for stopping by!  Have a wonderful week filled with fun and creativity!

:) Marie

H2H Photo Inspiration with Atlantic Hearts Sketch #8

There is a lovely birdcage with flowers photo inspiration challenge at Heart2Heart Challenges this week and I was inspired to play along.  I chose the birdcage and soft pink and orange coloring to feature in my card.

 

The card base is Hollyhock and the patterned paper with a birdcage design is from Dream Pop (retired CTMH).  The bird is from CTMH April 2013 Stamp of the Month called My Sunshine.  The greeting is from the Oklahoma Tornado Relief special called a True Thank You which is currently available here.  The bird was stamped in Pacifica pigment ink and clear embossed.  I then used the lighter of the two Hollyhock Alcohol Markers to color the wing, the bird and the YOU.  I applied Stardust Glitz Glitter Gel to the wing and the YOU.  The bird and bird wing were raised up with 3D Foam Tape.  If you look closely you can see a tiny wiggle eye on the bird.  

Here is the Atlantic Hearts Sketch that I followed:

Thanks for stopping by! If you get a chance please play along with these CTMH consultant sponsored challenges along with Color My Heart Color Dare featuring Topiary and Smoothie.  Have a wonderful week filled with fun and creativity!

:) Marie

Color My Heart Color Dare #48--Topiary and Smoothie With a Flowering Bunch

Welcome back to another Color My Heart Color Dare post!  This week our challenge colors are Topiary and Smoothie.  The stamp set featured is "A Flowering Bunch" which is the June Stamp of the Month from Close To My Heart.  I used a similar card layout but changed colors and embellishments.

One of my goals this year has been to use up some of my stash so I used vellum paper over Smoothie card stock in my first card.  The greeting was stamped in Smoothie ink and the flowers were stamped in Topiary ink.   I used my sewing machine to attach the vellum along with a strip of Topiary CS.  The vellum was cut shorter to leave a border around the images.  I used a Smoothie Marker, Sweet Leaf Marker and Chalk Marker to color in the flowers.  Stardust Glitz Glitter Gel was applied to the flower centers.  Here is a closeup photo:

I really like this stamp set so after I made this card I wanted to see how it would look on a white background so I quickly stamped up this second card on White Daisy CS.  The green strip is from the Splendor paper pack (retired CTMH).

Please head on over to see what the rest of the Color My Heart Color Dare Design Team have created.  Their artwork is truly inspirational.  We hope you can join in on this color challenge--if you don't have CTMH Topiary and Smoothie you may substitute similar colors but please just use these two colors with neutrals such as white, black, kraft or other beiges.  You can link up your papercrafted items here by Thursday evening, June 27 by 9PM CST.

Thanks for stopping by!  Have a wonderful week filled with fun and creativity!
:) Marie

Special Birthday Card for Sunday Stamps Challenge #52

Happy Birthday, Debbie T.!  I'm delighted to be on the Design Team for Sunday Stamps and used this week's Sketch #52 to make this special card for a special person.

 The background paper is Close To My Heart Hollyhock CS which was run through the Cuttlebug machine with the Happy Birthday folder and then distressed with the Sanding Kit from Close To My Heart.  The numbers and frames were cut with the Art Philosophy cricut cartridge.  The banners are zip strips from For Always paper.  White Liquid Pearls embellish the numbers and banners.  This was a great sketch to work with!

Please stop by the Sunday Stamps blog to check out what the rest of the Design Team have shared.  We would love to have you join us by linking your card up.  This is now a 2 week challenge so you have plenty of time to play along! 

Thanks for stopping by!  Have a wonderful week filled with fun and creativity!
:) Marie

Color Dare #47--Just Honey With Emboss Resist Technique

This week at Color My Heart Color Dare the challenge is to make a card featuring the Close To My Heart color Honey.  You may add neutrals such as black, white, chocolate, cocoa and bamboo but the only "color" of the card should be Honey (or similar color if you don't have it).  I used Versamark ink and Clear Detail Embossing Powder to stamp the two images from Beautiful Friendship in opposite corners. Next I applied Honey ink using a sponge dauber and the embossed area remained white.  The greeting is from Casual Expressions and was stamped in Black ink.  The tied ribbon is Color Ready Seam Binding which is white.  Once again I used my sponge dauber to apply Honey ink over a craft mat.  I just rubbed it on--it was really easy to do.  This White Daisy panel was then mounted onto Honey CS.  The final accents on this card are  Opaque Licorice Adhesive Gems.

Now head on over to Color My Heart Color Dare and check out what the rest of the fabulous design team has created.  We hope you can join in on the fun!  Just link your papercrafted creation up by Thursday evening, June 20 at 9PM CST.

Thanks for stopping by!  Have a wonderful week filled with fun and creativity!

:) Marie

Father's Day Key on the Artiste Cartridge for Rose Blossom Garden #5--Card #2

As promised here is my second card for the Rose Blossom Garden challenge this week using the Father's Day Key on the Artiste Cartridge.  This time I used the diamond border from page. 75 (accent 2 shift cut at 1.25").  The pretty patterned paper is Topiary B & T (retired CTMH).  These stripes were layered over Slate CS.  The bottom border is Topiary CS.  The Thinking of You greeting (retired CTMH Say it in Style) was first stamped in White Daisy (a pigment ink) and then Clear Detail Embossing Powder was applied and heated.  It was another really easy card to make using the Artiste cartridge!  I plan to try this idea with other color combinations.

 

To me this card has a masculine feel to it so I will also be entering it into Top Tip Tuesday for a guy.  **My Top Tip is to use a pigment ink and then apply clear embossing powder so that if there are stray flecks of powder they will not be visible on your card.

Thanks for stopping by!  Have a wonderful week filled with fun and creativity!

:) Marie

Father's Day Key on the Artiste Cartridge for Rose Blossom Garden #5--Card #1

Until June 15 the challenge at the Rose Blossom Garden is to make something using the Happy Father's Day key from the Artiste cartridge (pg. 75).  I chose a jagged edged cut (accent 4 shift at 1.25") and cut off one edge and alternated the placement of the jagged edges.  The pretty patterned papers are Topiary B & T papers (retired CTMH).  The vertical panel was stamped with Keyboard Uppercase Alphabet in Topiary Ink and Hooray Bouquet flowers in Buttercup and Topiary ink.  This piece was matted over Outdoor Denim CS.  The final touch was the placement of Durable Square Studs on each horizontal panel. 

 

It was a very easy card to make!  Come back tomorrow when I'll share a second card made for this challenge.

Have you checked out the latest Color My Heart Color Dare yet?  Pick your own pink, orange and yellow and link it up by Thursday, June 13 at 9PM CST here.

Thanks for stopping by!  Have a wonderful week filled with fun and creativity!
:) Marie

Color Dare #46--Choose Your Own Pink, Yellow and Orange with Watercoloring Technique

This week's Color My Heart Color Dare challenges you to make a card using  all 3 colors (neutrals are allowed and don't count as a color) but you get to choose which shade of pink, yellow and orange to use from the Close To My Heart color palette. (If you don't have these colors you may substitute something similar).

   The bottom two cards use a watercolor technique and the following CTMH colors:  Cotton Candy, Honey and Autumn Terracotta.  I used watercolor paper, a brush, some water and CTMH inkpads.  First I squeezed the closed inkpad lid into the pad so some ink would get onto the lid.  I then dipped my brush in water and then onto the inked lid and then painted the watercolor paper.  In the first card (Thanks) I stamped the floral image from In The Background with Versamark ink and then clear embossed it BEFORE I painted alternating striped diagonal colors.  After I trimmed the watercolored paper I matted it with strips of Autumn Terracotta and Cotton Candy.  The greeting is from Thoughtful Tidings (retired CTMH) and was stamped onto Art Philosophy cut White Daisy CS (pg. 63 square 5 cut at 1.75") with Autumn Terracotta Ink.  It was also matted onto Autumn Terracotta CS (same square 5 cut at 2") and onto a 2.25" square of Honey CS.  The final step was to add the Cotton Candy pom pom trim (retired CTMH).

For the second card I painted circles--from inside out the colors are Honey, Autumn Terracotta and Cotton Candy.  I then stamped over the circle with the medallion from Love Life in Archival Black Ink.  (I wanted to be sure the ink would not bleed).  From left to right the colored 1 5/8" squares are
Autumn Terracotta, Cotton Candy and Honey.  The medallion was mounted with 3D Foam Tape onto  a medallion cut from Black CS using the Artiste cartridge (page 31 accent 2 cut at 2.75").  These elements were all adhered to Colonial White CS.

While I was playing with these colors the new Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge was announced and I really liked it so I figured I'd make one more pink, yellow and orange card.   This time I used lighter  colors--Blush, Creme Brulee and Sorbet and the Honeycomb stamp set.  I used just the sentiment from Quick Card--Bumblebee  in Chocolate ink.  The final touch was the addition of 3 Mocha Opaque Gems under the greeting.  This was a really quick card to make following the sketch.

Here is the Atlantic Hearts Challenge Sketch:

What 3 color combinations will you try? Current Close To My Heart yellows are:  Buttercup, Creme Brulee and Honey.  Current CTMH oranges are:  Goldrush, Autumn Terracotta, Sorbet and Sunset.  Current CTMH pinks are:  Blush, Smoothie, Cotton Candy and Hollyhock.  You may also use discontinued CTMH colors (or substitute other products if you don't have CTMH inkpads yet.)  To link up your papercrafted creation go to Color My Heart Color Dare.  The deadline is Thursday, June 13 at 7PM CST.  There is a monthly prize you could win!  Check out what the rest of the Design Team and our Guest Designer Sheila Bennett have done to get your creative juices flowing.

Thanks for stopping by!  Have a wonderful week filled with fun and creativity!
:) Marie

Sunday Stamps #51 with Dream Pop Papers and Atlantic Hearts Sketch #5

I received a wonderful email from Holly a few days ago inviting me to be on the Design Team for Sunday Stamps and I excitedly joined on!  Sunday Stamps challenges alternate between color challenges like this one and sketch challenges.  From this point on challenges will run every 2 weeks so you have lots more time to play along.  This week's colors are Melon Mambo, Sahara Desert and Daffodil Delight.  Since we are encouraged to substitute similar colors I used papers from the Dream Pop package (May special from Close To My Heart) along with Whisper CS.  

 

 

 The dragonfly frame was cut with the Close To My Heart Art Philosophy cartridge. (page 24 Decorative Layer shift at 2.25" from Banana Dream Pop, also square 6 from Whisper CS at 2.25").  The solid Dream Pop papers have glossy accents on them so I rubbed the wings of the dragonfly with CTMH vintage Watermelon ink and a Q-tip to reveal the texture.  The dragonfly body and head were accented with Pink Glitz Glitter Gel.  The three gems on the left side are CTMH Pink Glitter Gems.  I used 3D Foam Tape to pop up the dragonfly frame from the pretty patterned paper. The greeting is from CTMH For Every Occasion and was stamped in Watermelon ink. The yellow thread outlines were stitched with my sewing machine.

I also followed the Atlantic Hearts Sketch #5--a new challenge blog being offered by Canadian Close To My Heart Consultants.

If you like color challenges I would encourage you try Color My Heart Color Dare this week.  Dream Pop colors are the challenge this week.  You may substitute similar colors if you don't have Dream Pop.

Thanks for stopping by!  Have a wonderful week filled with fun and creativity!

:) Marie

Blog Candy Goes to.......

Welcome to all my new followers and thanks for all your wonderful comments on last weekend's Memorial Day Blog Hop.  I appreciate everyone who took the time to comment on my Thanks card for the blog hop.  I was so inspired by the other cards made for Operation Write Home last weekend!  If you missed it you can see all of these wonderful submissions here.

And now on to the winner of the blog candy--congratulations to new follower Angelica Chambers!  Angelica wrote: "I'm a loyal follower now! Signed up with the Google group! Thanks! Love ur work!" Angelica ChambersMay 27, 2013 at 2:09 PM 
Please send your snail mail address to  me at mflayer at comcast dot net so I can get your prize to you right away!

 

Blog Candy Prize--100+ 4.25 x 5.5 cardfronts from Close To My Heart papers plus 6" border strips.

If you have a chance please check out the Color My Heart Color Dare blog this week for the Dream Pop Challenge:

 

We would love to have you join in on this fun color challenge!

Thanks for stopping by!  Have a wonderful week filled with fun and creativity!
:) Marie