Color Dare #300--Bashful, Mink and Pacifica

The Color My Heart Color Dare Design Team is celebrating our 300th challenge with a prize giveaway!  We've made lots of changes over the years and we are happy to still be going strong.  Although we LOVE Close to My Heart colors and products you don't need to use them to join in the fun--just use similar colors without adding new colors to your creation.  (It is always acceptable to use Black and White Daisy to any of our color challenges unless specified not to). 

This fortnight we are challenging you to combine these fabulous Close to My Heart colors:

My card features stamps from last year's Constant Campaign called "From the Heart".  The background panel is Bashful Card Stock that was randomly stamped with a flower in Bashful Pigment Ink and then Clear Embossed.  Next Pacifica Ink was rubbed over the flowers with a Sponge Dauber to make the flowers "pop".  The Pacifica frame is accented with Bashful Pearls.  The greeting and flower spray on the Mink panel was stamped with Pacifica Pigment Ink and clear embossed.

Here is another view so you can see how shiny the Clear Embossed Pacifica Pigment ink is:

Please head on over to the Color My Heart Challenge Blog to read about the Prize Giveaway details and to get creative inspiration from our fabulous Design Team.  Our challenge will remain open until Thursday evening, July 19 at 10 PM CT so you have plenty of time to play along.  We can't wait to see what you create!

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

     Incy Wincy Designs--Use Flowers

     A Bit More Time to Craft--Anything Goes

     World Wide Open Design Team Challenge--

          Anything Goes

     Crafting By Designs--Anything Goes

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

:) Marie

p.s. If you like what you see on my blog please consider "following" me by email or in your blog roll so you don't miss out on any of my fabulous card making ideas. You can sign up on the right sidebar.

Anything Goes for Fantabulous Cricut Challenge #254!

Welcome back to another Fantabulous Cricut Challenge blog post!  This fortnight it is "Anything Goes" so I decided to use leftovers from a previous project to make a card.

Close to My Heart products used:

     Artbooking Cricut Cartridge (overlay page 52)

     Jubilee paper (retired)

     Pacifica CS

     Lots of Love stamp set

     Pacifica Ink

     Paradise Bakers Twine Assortment (retired)

     3D Foam Tape

Here is the first card I made with the Artbooking overlay cut:

The Jubilee paper has a different print on each side (and I didn't want to waste any of it) so I applied CTMH Bonding Memories glue to the leftover pieces (yellow side) and then pressed down with a Pacifica CS base to make the second card. 

We hope you will find time this week to make something with one of your cricut cartridges and link it up to us at the Fantabulous Cricut Challenge Blog.  We are being sponsored by Verve Stamps this time and one randomly drawn winner will win a $25 gift certificate to the Verve store!  It could be you!!

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

:) Marie

Treasured Friendship Card for Nacho Average Challenge #135

If you are looking for this week's Color Dare challenge post please go here.

I liked the simplicity of this week's Nacho Average Challenge #135 sketch so I made a quick card to share--one that I can later stamp a sentiment on.

Close to My Heart products used:

     Seaside Paper

     White Daisy CS

      Pacifica CS

      Outdoor Denim B & T paper (retired)

     Treasured Memories stamp    

      White Embossing Powder 

      Pacifica Ink

      Sponge Dauber

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

:) Marie

It's Hard Being Green--Use Your Stash Blog Hop

Welcome to another Use Your Stash Blog Hop!  If you are coming from Darlene's blog you are on the right track.  Didn't you just love her green project?  You'll see who is next on this tour at the end of this post.

Would you believe that the paper on my green card is more than 15 years old?  It is Clover Meadow 12"x 12" Background and Texture paper from Close to My Heart and long ago retired.  I couldn't decide which pattern to use so I chose four of them!

The banner was stamped in Pacifica Ink and the greeting was stamped in Clover Meadow Ink and colored in with a Clover Meadow marker.  (The gold holographic tape was purchased in a Dollar Tree and is pictured here.)

Please go on to be inspired by the talented Cassandra Bennett's blog post.  If you get lost along the way you can stop at Teresa Morrow's blog for the complete list.

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

:) Marie

Nautical Birthday Card with Atlantic Hearts Sketch #98

Welcome back to another Joyful Stars Blog Hop!  We are a group of eleven Close To My Heart consultants who are sharing products currently available in the Annual Inspirations or Seasonal Expressions catalogs.  We hope to inspire you to create something just for the fun of it.  If you are coming from
Joyce's blog you are on the right track.

This month I was able to combine a couple of challenges with this card that I made for my son who is serving in the US Navy.  This card is 5" x 6.5" to accomodate the size of the sailboat.

Close to My Heart products used:

     White Daisy CS

     Seaside Paper 

     Pacifica CS

     Seaside Greetings stamp set

     Pacific Ink (2nd generation for the sailboat, but 1st generation for greeting)

Other products:

     Border punch by Fiskars     

Here is the Atlantic Hearts Sketch that was the inspiration for my card layout:

This was a really fun sketch to work with.  If you feel inspired to follow the sketch you can link up your creation here.

Other card challenge entries:

     Cardz 4 Guys--sailing theme

     Seize the Birthday

Now it's on to the next stop of the Joyful Stars blog hop. (If you get lost on the blog hop please go back to Joyce's blog for the complete list.)  Please go visit Nancy Brown's blog.  I'm sure she'll have something delightful to share with you.

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

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

Hopscotch Valentine with Pals Paper Arts Sketch #236

This card came together so quickly following the Pals Paper Arts sketch #263.  Hope you like it!

Close To My Heart products used:

    Hopscotch paper

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

    Artfully Sent stamp set (Happy Valentine's Day)

    Pacific CS

    Pacific Ink

    White Shimmer Trim

    Pacifica Alcohol Marker (retired)

There are so many wonderful stamp images in the January Stamp of the Month set from Close to My Heart:

Here is the sketch that inspired me:

     

At the end of January I will be offering some FREE craft supplies--please become a follower so you don't miss out on the goodies!

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

:) Marie

Silver Ornaments and Blue for Merry Monday Christmas Challenge #134

If you are looking for the Color My Heart Color Dare challenge post please go here.

This Christmas card was inspired by this week's Merry Monday Christmas Challenge #134.  The challenge is to use Blue, Ornaments and Silver/Grey.

This card came together very quickly using the Artbooking cartridge!

Close To My Heart products used:

     Pacifica CS

     Holiday Tags

     Pacifica Ink

     Artbooking Cricut Cartridge (pg. 75 overlay shift cut at 5.5")

     Silver Metallic paper (retired)

     3D Foam Tape

Here is the Merry Monday challenge graphic:

I strongly encourage you to check out this challenge--the Design Team did an awesome job and the work of the challenge participants is outstanding!  You will be inspired!

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

:) Marie

Pathfinding Cardmaking Kit Stamps for Color Dare #111

Welcome back to another Color My Heart Color Dare challenge post!  This week we are challenging you to create using the following Close to My Heart colors:  Cranberry, Sorbet, Olive, Lagoon and Pacifica.

My card features these 5 colors and two terrific stamps from the Pathfinding Cardmaking Kit:

Close To My Heart products used:

     Lagoon CS

     White Daisy CS

     Pathfinding Cardmaking Kit

     Sorbet Ink

     Cranberry Ink

     Lagoon Ink

     Pacifica Ink

     Olive Ink

The current sketch challenge at Nacho Average Challenges #107 was the inspiration for my card:

We would love to have you play along with the Color Dare challenge!  You may substitute similar colors if you don't have these Close To My Heart colors yet and you may combine them with neutrals such as black, white, beige, greys and tans.

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

:) Marie

Card Concept #12 Nautical Theme Meets Freshly Made Sketch #140 and Stampin' Royalty #232

Blues are my favorite colors so they were a natural choice to create a card using the Freshly Made Sketch #140.  Blues are also prominent in nautical scenes so this card also works for The Card Concept #12.  My card follows a Clean and Simple design.  These blues also work for the Stampin' Royalty Ombre challenge.

Close To My Heart Products Used:

     Outdoor Denim CS

     White Daisy CS

     Sky CS

     Crystal Blue CS

     Indian Corn Blue CS

     Pacifica CS

     Pacifica Ink

Other products:

     Lighthouse Stamp by Studio 112

Here is the Freshly Made Sketch that I followed:

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

:) Marie

Watercolor Wash Nautical Card With Try Stampin' on Tuesday Sketch #167

If you are looking for the Color My Heart Color Dare #94 card please go here.

There is a nautical theme challenge at Cards 4 Guyz and a Maritime theme challenge at Keep it Simple that interested me so I combined this theme with the current Try Stampin' on Tuesday sketch #167 that I really like.  I've been taking the Online Card Class for Watercolors so I chose to paint my background instead of using strips of paper (although I do plan to try this sketch with patterned paper soon).

First thing I did was put Versamark ink on the positive side of a Cuttlebug folder.  Next I pressed the Bristol paper against it and rubbed with my fingers and then sprinkled Clear Embossing Powder on it and heat set it.
Masking tape was applied to create the white area while I painted the stripes from four different Close To My Heart ink pads.  (Acrylic block stamped with ink and then spritzed with water to create the "watercolor paint".)

Close To My Heart products used:
    Sky ink
    Lagoon ink
    True Teal ink (retired)
    Pacifica ink
    acrylic block
    Hello stamp (retired)
    Sailboat stamp (retired)
    Clear Detail Embossing Powder
    3D Foam Tape
 

Other products:
    Cuttlebug Anchors Aweigh embossing folder
    Bristol paper by Strathmore
    Versamark Ink

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

Colour Me...! Challenge #1 with Try Stampin' on Tuesday Sketch #149

Happy 2014!  As I was reading my blog list the other day I found a new color challenge blog cocreated by a fellow Sunday Stamps Design Team member, Hayley Kew so I had to join in!  Congrats to Hayley and the rest of the Colour Me...! Team for a great looking blog and place to play along.  This week's challenge is to use just Island Indigo with neutrals.

 I substituted Close To My Heart Pacifica along with White Daisy and Silver Metallic paper (retired DOTS).  The Pacifica CS was run through the Cuttlebug machine with a Happy Birthday folder and then distressed with a sanding block to expose the white core.  The line of embellished dots was made with a pencil eraser dipped into Pacifica ink and then dotted with White Liquid Pearls.  Don't they look like they could be sequins?

Here is the Try Stampin' on Tuesday sketch #149 that I used to make this card:

The extra challenge for this sketch is to "Sparkle it Up" which I did by using silver metallic paper and Liquid Pearl dots.

Here is the graphic for the new Colour Me...! challenge blog.  Come join me in playing there!

I'm also entering this card into Hiding in My Craft Room--Anything But Holiday and KIS-challenge--Anything Goes.

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

:) Marie

Summer Smiles for Rose Blossom Garden Challenge #10

Happy Labor Day Weekend which in the USA signifies the end of summer and back to school!  The challenge for the last 2 weeks of August at the Rose Blossom Garden is to use a summer theme and the Artbooking Family key (page 67).  This is probably one of the fastest cards I ever made (although the planning of it took some thought!)  I really liked the photo mats from page 67 and decided to "frame up" a scene from Surf's Up paper.  I cut photo mat 1 at Real Dial Size at 4" and then chose a section of the paper to highlight.  I stamped a greeting "Summer Smiles" (from Summer Wishes set retired CTMH) in Pacifica ink in the top right hand corner.  The final touch was the application of Stardust Glitz Glitter Gel on the top of the wave part of the frame.  I also placed the framed picture on the card so that the bottom and right side were white--just to add a little bit more interest. 

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

Ombre Shades of Blue for Atlantic Hearts Sketch #11

My FedEx man dropped off a box of new Close To My Heart products yesterday and I just had to break open the box and play.  Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge #11 appealed to me so I was inspired to find a way to use some of my new goodies.  New products that I used for this card (available August 1 here) are the inksplatter stamp from the Laughing Lola Cardmaking Workshop on the Go and the new Artbooking cricut cartridge for the Hello.  It might look as if I masked and sponged this card but I used  a stamp instead (and kept my fingers from getting inky).  The colors from top to bottom are 1st generation Outdoor Denim, 1st generation Pacifica, 2nd generation Pacifica, 1st generation Twilight, 2nd generation Twilight, 1st generation Crystal Blue and 2nd generation Crystal Blue.  Hello was cut from Artbooking cartridge (page 39 Title at .75").  I used Bonding Memories Glue Pen to adhere the Hello to the card.  The final touch is a pair of wiggle eyes and a hand drawn smile. 

Here is the sketch I followed:

I don't usually purchase Workshops on the Go kits but I really loved the D sized stamp set that is included so I purchased Laughing Lola.  Here is a photo of these new stamps:

Please stop by tomorrow for the newest Color My Heart Color Dare challenge post!

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

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

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

Memorial Day Weekend Blog Hop for Operation Write Home

Happy Memorial Day Weekend!  Yesterday I posted a card using OWH Sketch #71 and I promised I would use the same sketch for this blog hop with a Thank You theme.

Products used are from Close To My Heart: Fanfare paper (retired), Pacifica CS, Sunny Yellow (retired) stripe, Thanks stamp, Love Life small star stamp, Cranberry Ink, Pacifica Ink.

Remembering my family members in the military: Dad--Navy, Uncle Pete--Marines, Uncle Don--Navy, Son Rick--Navy, Daughter-in-law Siobhan--Marines.

Thanks for stopping by!  Please check my post on 5/24/13 to see the Color My Heart Color Dare Challenge #44 card using the same sketch and for details about my blog candy giveaway! Have a wonderful week filled with fun and creativity!
:) Marie

Clean and Simple Sketch Challenge FTL 174

I love the look of clean and simple cards and this week I found time to make and enter a card. All products used are by Close To My Heart including Fanfare paper along with Cranberry, Pacifica, Sunny Yellow and White Daisy. The card sets are D1475 Card Chatter--Birthday and C1483 Harvest Happiness. I used the CTMH Art Philosophy cartridge to cut out the scalloped ovals. Here is the card which I rotated to suit my vision:

Here is the original sketch:

Thanks for looking!

Clean and Simple Sketch Challenge FTL 172

I love the design of the Clean and Simple Sketch Challenge this week and used it as inspiration for my card. It can be found here. My card uses Close To My Heart products including Dreamin' paper, Buttercup Gingham (retired), Pacifica Ink, Art Philosophy and Hooray Bouquet stamp set. All edges were distressed with a foam brush and Pacifica Ink. Blue and white Bakers' Twine was tied around the middle of the card to complete the card.

Here is the sketch that I followed:

Thanks for taking a look at my artwork and for leaving a comment if you have time.