Embossed Embossing and Antique Element for Friday Mashup #199

This is my last post as February 2015 Friday Mashup Guest Designer and it was the most challenging for me.  The technique (Embossed Embossing) was easy but I really had trouble coming up with an "Antique" element until I remembered that the upcoming Close to My Heart April Stamp of the Month featured an old typewriter with numerous greetings to go on the page.  The typewriter would not have been considered an antique when I was growing up but it is now! (Some of my readers may never have seen a typewriter at all!)

Close to My Heart products used:

     Black CS

     Black Ink

     Typed Note stamp (available April 2015)

     Vineyard Berry CS (retired)

     Polysparkle Tinsel embossing powder (retired)

     3D Foam Tape

Other products used:

     Silver Shimmer CS by Recollections

     Sizzix embossing folder

Here is the Friday Mashup Sketch Graphic:

This week's Friday Mashup challenge is to

      - Create a project using an Antique Element OR

      -  Create a project using Embossed Embossing technique OR

      -  "Mash it Up" and do both!

We hope you can join us in this fun challenge!  You have until Wednesday evening March 4 to link up your project.

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

:) Marie

     

Forever Friends Tigers for Dee Dee's Digis Stamp of the Month Challenge

Last month I participated in Dee Dee's Digis Digital Stamp of the Month Challenge so this month I received the February Stamp of the Month for free.  (And now that I'm entering this challenge I will receive the March Stamp of the Month for free--good deal, right?)

These pre-colored tigers are just so cute, don't you think?

Products used:

     Forever Friends Digital Stamp Set by Dee Dee's Digis

     Ticket punch by Stampin' Up

     Silver Shimmer CS by Recollections

Close to My Heart products used:

     White Daisy CS

     Pacifica CS

     Black CS

     Black Ink

     True Friends (retired stamp set)

Here is the complete set from Dee Dee's Digis:

It was really fun to put together this cute card in such a short amount of time.

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

:) Marie

     

Love You Hexagon for Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge #96

Welcome back to another Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge blog post.  It's sketch #96 and I managed to use a variety of old and new materials to make this card:

Close to My Heart products used:

     Heartstrings paper (red heart background and green center strip)

     White Wide Paper Lace (long ago retired from DOTS--what Close to My Heart was originally)

     Artiste rosette stamp

     Happy Hexagons (Hostess Reward Set)

     Cranberry Ink

     3D Foam Tape

Other products:

     Silver Shimmer paper from Recollections

Here is the Michelle's fabulous AHSC sketch that I followed:

Now it is your turn to try out this fabulous sketch and share it with us here.  You have until Sunday evening, March 1 to join us in the gallery.

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

:) Marie

Lovely Leaves Paper for Use Your Stash Blog Hop

Welcome to the February "Use Your Stash" blog hop.  This month's theme is "My Love Affair with Paper".  If you are coming from  creative Katy Taylor's blog you are on the right track.

My card features "Lovely Leaves" patterned paper by Close to My Heart (retired several years ago).  It was layered over old CTMH Hemlock paper which has a texture to it.  The embellished flower centers is Goldenrod Stickles.  The birthday greeting is from the current stamp set "You Mean the World to Me" and was stamped in Ponderosa Pine ink.  The gold stripe is gold holographic laser tape that I found at Dollar Tree.

Now it's time to head over to the talented Sheila Bennett's blog.  If you get lost along the way here is a complete list of blogs participating in the "Use Your Stash" blog hop:

Shirley Ross - http://momnmescrap.blogspot.com/2015/01/use-your-stash-blog-hop-is-having-love.html

Theresa Morrow - http://tmorrowstreasures.blogspot.com/2015/01/february-use-your-stash-bloghop.html

Katy Taylor - http://scrappinkaty.blogspot.com/2015/02/my-love-affair-with-paper-uysbh.html

Marie Flayer - http://njstampingqueen.blogspot.com/2015/02/lovely-leaves-paper-for-use-your-stash.html

Sheila Bennett - http://sheila-bennett.blogspot.com/2015/02/my-love-affair-with-paper-use-your.html

Wendy Kessler - http://www.myscrapbookingblog.com/2014/02/21/use-your-stash-blog-hop-my-love-affair-with-paper

Janet McCormick - http://worksofheart2011.blogspot.com/2015/02/my-love-affair-with-paper.html

Casandra Bennett - http://casandra-scrappinbliss.blogspot.com/2015/02/my-love-affair-with-paper.html

Priscilla Gotham  - http://www.priscillaspaperie.com/2015/02/my-love-affair-with-paper-use-your.html

Darlene Henry- http://chasnpaper.blogspot.com/2015/02/use-your-stash-blog-hop.html

A special thanks to Shirley Ross for setting this all up for us.

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

:) Marie

White Daisy and Whisper for Color Dare #130

Welcome back to another Color My Heart Color Dare challenge post!  This week we are challenging you to use just two colors:  White Daisy and Silver (or Whisper).  I decided to use the new Close to My Heart Scallop embossing folder to create my background.

How did I do this?  I applied Whisper ink pad directly to the folder and pressed down.  (I did NOT run it through the Cuttlebug machine).  As you can see I used both sides of the folder to create more interest.

Close to My Heart products used:

     Whisper CS

     White Daisy CS

     You Mean the World to me stamp

     Whisper Ink 

     White Daisy Ink to edge Whisper frame

     Sponge Dauber 

     3D Foam Tape

     Scallop Embossing Folder (from Seasonal Expressions catalog)

    

Other

     Silver Holographic Curling Ribbon

Now it's your turn to create using these colors.  

Head on over to the Color My Heart Color Dare blog and see what the rest of the fabulous Design Team has created.  Hope you can join us for this challenge.  Use a direct link to link up your papercrafted creation (it doesn't have to be a card).

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

:) Marie

Take Flight for Friday Mashup #198

Are you ready for the next Friday Mashup challenge?  This is my third week as Guest Designer and this has been my favorite challenge so far. This challenge involves a sketch OR a theme--"Take Flight" or you can "mash it up" and do both like I have done.

Close to My Heart products used:

     Heavenly Blue CS (retired)

     Heavenly Blue B & T paper (retired)

     Outdoor Denim B & T paper (retired)

     Black CS

     Heartstrings paper

     Lifting Spirits stamps

     Black CS

     Silver Metallic Marker

     Saddle marker (retired)

     Sanding Kit

Other products:

     Darice Cloudy Day embossing folder

Here is the great sketch I followed:

   

Please head on over to the Friday Mashup blog to check out what the fabulous Design Team has to inspire you.  We hope you can play along with the challenge this week.

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

:) Marie

     

Anniversary Card for Freshly Made Sketches #174

This is the second card I made with the current Freshly Made Sketch.  Friends of mine just celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary and I graced them with this card:

Close to my Heart products used:

     Artfully Sent Cartridge--Congrats written with Cricut Explore

     Art Philosophy cartridge--circle and scalloped circle

     White Daisy CS

     Black CS

     Metallic Gold CS (retired)

     

Other products:

     Gold cricut pen

     Black cricut pen

     Circle Interlock embossing folder by Darice

     Shimmer Silver CS by Recollections

Here is the Freshly Made Sketch I followed:

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

:) Marie

Masculine Birthday Card for Freshly Made Sketch #174 and Seize the Birthday

Freshly Made Sketches has another great sketch to work with!  I needed a masculine birthday card so I used some masculine colors and patterned paper to create this card:

Close to my Heart products used:

     Whisper CS

     White Daisy CS

     Art Philosophy cartridge to cut frame

     New England Ivy CS

     Victory paper (retired)

      You Mean the World to Me stamp

      New England Ivy ink

      3D Foam Tape

Here is the wonderful sketch I followed:

     

I'm also entering this card into the Seize the Birthday challenge to use hearts or arrows.

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

:) Marie

      

     

     

Friday Mashup #197 Farm Animal and/or Bling

In honor of Chinese New Year the Friday Mashup is challenging its readers to make a card with a "farm animal" or "bling" or mash it up and include both!

This is my second week as February Guest Designer and this one really challenged me! Since I don't have any farm animal stamps my card features a digital stamp from Doodle Pantry called Little Critters.  I chose a goat because it is the "Year of the Goat".

Close to My Heart products used:

     Art Philosophy cut scalloped circle

     Heartstrings paper

     Jubilee paper (retired)

     Saddle CS

     White Daisy CS

     Versamark Ink

     Polysparkle Tinsel embossing powder (retired)

     Black Glossy Metallic paper (retired)

     Gold Glossy Metallic paper (retired)

Other products:

     Little Critters digital stamp by Doodle Pantry

     2015 Year of the goat emblem from Google clip art images

     tiny wiggle eyes

     Computer font for Happy Chinese New Year

Here is the humorous Friday Mashup graphic--click on it to get to the blog.

We hope you can join us in this challenge!

I'm also entering this card into the following challenges:

    Crafts Galore Encore Challenge blog--use a stamp or digital stamp

    

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

:) Marie

A Little Note for Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge #94

I'm excited to tell you that I've joined the Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge Design Team!  This is a wonderful challenge blog that I've played along with frequently and I hope you will play along with us also. Here is my first Design Team submission:

I added one more thing to this card--can you spot it?  After I finished the card I realized that I had some Aqua Dots that I put on top of the Gold Sequins.

Close to My Heart products used:

     Pacifica CS

     Lagoon CS

     White Daisy CS

     Dots Embossing Folder

     A Little Note stamp

     Holiday Tags

     Pacifica Ink

     Lagoon Ink

     Topiary Ink

     Shin Han Touch markers--Golden Yellow, Marigold and Vivid Green

     Gold Sequins

     Aqua Dots

Other products

     Ticket punch by SU

Here is the easy to use Atlantic Hearts Sketch #94 for you to follow:

Please stop and check out the fabulous projects by the Design Team.  We hope to see you in our gallery soon.

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

:) Marie

Arftully Sent Congratulations Card for Joyful Stars Blog Hop

Welcome back to another Joyful Stars blog hop!  If you are coming from Stephanie Huber's blog, you are on the right track.

It was so much fun using my Cricut Explore to design this card.  I started with the Sentiment Shift card with three daisies on page 33 and adapted it to suit my taste.

Close to My Heart products used:

      Artfully Sent cartridge

      Thistle CS

      White Daisy CS

      Silver Metallic marker

      Silver Shimmer Trim

Other products:

      Cricut purple pen

      Lavender pearls by Want 2 Scrap

      Crayola Purple Metallic marker (to color in outlined letters)

If you are a Cricut Explore user--here is the cut file.

Now, head on over to Nancy Brown's blog.  If you get lost along the way you can check out Joyce's blog for the complete list.

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

:) Marie

      

Hello Sunday Stamps Sketch Challenge!

After spending 1.5 years as a Sunday Stamps Design Team member I'm back as a regular participant. The sketch really appealed to me--great job on it DT!

Close to My Heart products used:

     Hopscotch paper

     Cotton Candy CS

     This Moment stamp set (retired January 2015 stamp of the month)

     Vellum (retired)

     Black Ink

     Polysparkle Tinsel embossing powder (retired)

     Pink Glitter Glitz (retired)

Other products:

     Laser Tape (from Dollar Tree)

     

Here is what my card looked like before the Pink Glitter Glitz was applied:

Here is the Sunday Stamps Sketch that I followed:

The deadline for entering this challenge is Friday evening 6 PM ET.  What will you create with this great sketch?

I'm also entering this card into the following challenges:

     Crafty Hazelnuts Patterned Paper--Anything Goes

     Crafting From the Heart--Anything Goes

     

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

:) Marie

Freshly Made Valentine Card with Less is More Color Scheme

There's another great sketch at Freshly Made Sketches this week and I just had to play along!

Close to My Heart produts used:

     Art Philosophy cartridge to cut hearts

     White Daisy CS

     Watermelon Ink (retired)

     Mad About You stamp set (retired)

Other products:

     Animal Prints CS by Recollections

     Silver and Gold CS by Recollections

     Twine by American Crafts

Here is the Freshly Made Sketch that inspired me:

I'm also entering this card into the following challenges:

   Cards in  Envy--2 or more hearts

   Less is More--pink and grey

   Pile it on--use a bow

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

:) Marie

Color Dare #128--Cranberry, Flaxen, Black, White Daisyand Kraft

Welcome back to another Color My Heart Color Dare challenge post.  The Close to My Heart colors we are featuring this week are pictured here:

These are the only 5 colors allowed for the challenge although if you do not have these exact CTMH colors you may substitute similar colors.

My card features a new stamp set found in the Seasonal Expressions catalog called "A Bunch of Thanks".  I used Freshly Made Sketch #42 as my card layout.

Close to My Heart products used:

     Kraft CS

     Cranberry CS

     Black CS

     White Daisy CS

     Flaxen CS

      Cranberry Ink

      Flaxen Ink

      Bunch of Thanks stamp set

This was my first card which I forgot to include black:

I really like how the black makes the focal panel "pop"!

Now it's your turn to create with these 5 colors.  We look forward to seeing what you create. Please use a direct link to share your creations with us here.

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

:) Marie

p.s. If you haven't seen my blog candy giveaway post from last week go there NOW as the deadline to enter is midnight, February 6.

Pink, Red and White Love You Card for Friday Mashup #196

It is my pleasure to be a Guest Designer for the Friday Mashup--one of my all time favorite challenge blogs!

This week's Mashup Challenge is:

• Create a project with the colors "Red, White & Pink". 
• Create a project with "a Love theme". 
• or Mash it Up! and create a “Love themed project using the above colors

My card "mashes it up" by combining all of the challenge elements into a Valentine card with a special surprise inside.

Card inside:

Close to My Heart products used:

      Cotton Candy CS

      White Daisy CS

      Ruby CS

      Ruby Ink

      In My Heart stamp set (retired)

      This Moment (January 2015 Stamp of the Month)

      Artfully Sent cartridge (popup from page 35)
      Hearts Embossing Folder

I'm also entering this into the What if Wednesday color challenge--red, white and pink and The Male Room challenge of masculine Valentines.

We hope you find the time to play along with the Friday Mashup this week.  Please check out what the Design Team has to inspire you.

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

Kraft Tag Birthday Card for Retrosketches #151 and Seize the Birthday

One of my wine loving friends is having a birthday so I adapted the Retrosketch #151 to make this card.

Close to My Heart products used:

     Smokey Plum B & T paper (retired)

     Kraft CS

     Shin Han Touch Markers--Lavender, Sap Green and Barely Beige

     Art Philosophy--tag cut

     Black Ink

     Bakers Twine Neutrals Assortment

     Smokey Plum Bigger Brads (retired)

Other products

     Fiskars stamp set "Aged to Perfection"

Here is another version of this card design using different stamps from the same set:

This card has a stripe of CTMH Champagne paper that was run through the Cuttlebug machine with a Darice "Corks" folder and Saddle Ink.

I'm also entering this card into Seize the Birthday--Anything Goes theme.

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

:) Marie

P.S.  If you are interested in a Blog Giveaway please see this blog post--deadline to enter is midnight          ET Feb. 6.

     

Artfully Sent Baby Card for Bitten by the Bug 2

I just happened to make a baby card yesterday and then this morning I read that "New Baby" is the challenge at Bitten by the Bug 2.  Here is my card:

Here is the inside:

Close to My Heart products used:

     Artfully Sent cartridge

     Heavenly Blue CS (retired)

     Heavenly Blue Gingham paper (retired)

     Pacifica CS

     Pacifica Ink

     Welcome Little One wood stamp (retired)

     Metallic paper (silver and black glossy--also retired)

Other products:

     Inside of card greeting by Heartfelt Creations

The Artfully Sent cartridge made this card so easy to do!  I love how you can cut the inside to be a pop-up card--don't you?

Did you see my last blog post offering a free giveaway?  Check it out here.

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

:) Marie