Butterfly Trio Card with Freshly Made Sketch #651

This week's Freshly Made Sketch appealed to me and I was able to find some time to play in my craft room to create this lovely card.

This second photo was photographed at a different angle so you can see how shimmery the paper is.

Here is the fabulous sketch that inspired my card layout:

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

     Cut it Up #311--Anything Goes with a die cut

     Daring Cardmakers--Butterflies and Bees

     Simon Says Wednesday--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. 

Color Dare #93--Honey, Cranberry, Juniper, Twilight With Watercoloring

Welcome back to another Color My Heart Color Dare challenge post!  This week we are daring you to combine all four of these Close To My Heart colors in your project.  (Of course close color substitutions are allowed if you don't have the assigned colors).

Since I recently enrolled in the Online Card Classes Watercoloring class my card reflects that.  The top banner was made by clear embossing the floral stamp from In the Background onto watercolor paper.  Then I used a narrow acrylic block pressed into the inkpad and then spritzed with water to stamp on the paper.  I did this several times with all the challenge colors and I like how it came out.

Close To My Heart products used:

    Cranberry CS

    Black CS

    Twilight CS

    Honey Ink

   Cranberry Ink

   Juniper Ink

   Twilight Ink

   1 x 4 acrylic block

   Enjoy the Little things stamp set (Hostess only set)

   In the Background Stamps

   3D Foam Tape

   Clear Embossing Powder (retired)

   

Other:

   Watercolor paper by Faber Castell

   Versamark Ink

   Prismacolor pencil

Please head on over to the Color Dare blog and check out what the fabulous Design Team and special Guest Designer Caroline have to inspire you.  We would love to see your artwork in our gallery.  Please use a direct link to your blog post when entering the challenge.

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

:) Marie

Frosted Card with Try Stampin' on Tuesday Sketch #147

This week's Try Stampin' on Tuesday Sketch #147 was a perfect sketch to use the Close To My Heart Frosted paper.  Using a snowflake was an extra option for this challenge.  The stamps are from the Frosted Cardmaking Kit and were inked with Twilight ink.  The snowflake was also embossed with polysparkle tinsel embossing powder for a little sparkle (retired CTMH) and popped up with 3D Foam Tape.

Here is the Try Stampin' on Tuesday Sketch #147:

Frosted is also the featured color this week for Color My Heart Color Dare so I'm linking it up there. Snowflakes are the theme at Addicted to CAS so I'm linking it up there also.

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

:) Marie

Color Dare #52 Ruby, Twilight and Olive with a Mojo Monday Sketch #303

Have you heard that there is a Design Team call for Color My Heart Color Dare?  This is a challenge blog that features the use of Close To My Heart colors.  Applications are due July 26--go here to check it out.

Although this is my week off from Color Dare Design Team responsibilities I just had to join in using these jewel toned colors: Ruby, Twilight and Olive.  I used the new CTMH Artbooking cricut cartridge which will be available on August 1 here to cut the holly leaves and ornament overlay. The White Daisy background panel was run through the Cuttlebug Machine with a holiday themed embossing folder.  The vertical stripe on the Twilight panel is Silver Shimmer Trim which was colored with a Ruby Alcohol Marker. The ornaments were glitzed up with Stardust Glitz Glitter Gel.

My inspiration for this card came from Mojo Monday #303--although I did change the orientation of the elements! Here is the sketch I loosely followed:

The Artbooking cartridge is so versatile!  Starting on Mondays in August several Close To My Heart consultants will be showcasing different ways to use this new cartridge so you'll have to come back then to check it out. Why not become a follower of my blog so you won't miss out on any fabulous Artbooking ideas?

Now it's your turn to see what you can create with these fun colors.  If you don't have these CTMH colors use something similar. Link up your papercrafted creation (does not have to be a card) by Thursday, July 25 at 9PM CST here.  We look forward to seeing your artwork in our gallery!

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

Words of Comfort for Freshly Made Sketches #86

It has been awhile since I've tried a Freshly Made Sketch and I needed some inspiration to make another sympathy card so I decided to check out this week's sketch.  The Close To My Heart products that I used are Chantilly paper, Slate CS, Twilight CS, and Words of Comfort greeting which was black embossed.  (Here is my embossing tip--place stamp in Versamark ink, then place stamp in your chosen color of dye ink and then sprinkle Clear Embossing powder--any stray flecks of embossing powder are not visible on your card!)  The center panel was dry embossed with a Cuttlebug folder called Birds and Swirls.  First I used a paintbrush to paint in the grooves of the folder with Twilight Ink and then I ran the paper in the folder through the Cuttlebug machine.  The thin black and white ribbon was in my stash for quite awhile and I have no idea who made it..

 

Here is the Freshly Made Sketch #86 that I followed:

 

Thanks for stopping by!  Have a wonderful week filled with fun and creativity1

:) Marie

Challenge Me Monday #135 and Cut it Up--Give Thanks with a Twist #5

After birthday cards, thank you cards are the ones I send out the most.  This card came together very easily using last week's Sunday Stamps sketch.  I am submitting it for Fantabulous Cricut Challenge Me Monday #135--Seeing Dots and Cut it Up--Give Thanks with a Twist (must use a diecut).  The diecuts are from the Close To My Heart Artiste cartridge and the Thanks stamp is from the Casual Expressions Occasions stamp set which was made to coordinate with the Artiste cartridge.  The paper is Clementine also from Close To My Heart with a strip of Twilight with Smoothie ink.  The brownish diecut is actually the reverse side of the patterned paper.  The embossed dots are from a Cuttlebug folder.  Almond Glitz Glitter Gel was used to add some sparkle  to the Clementine paper and after marker coloring the tiny flowers I used Stardust Glitz  Glitter Gel on them. 

On the second card I used the zip strip from the Clementine paper instead of the Twilight strip.

I'm not sure which look I like better--what do you think?  Thanks for stopping by--have a great week filled with fun and creativity!
:) Marie

Mojo Monday 261 with Clementine and Friday Favorite Things Linky Party

I made these cards for Mojo Monday 261 and am entering it in Wendy Coffman's Friday Favorite Things Linky Party .  Other than the ribbons above the scalloped circles all supplies are from Close To My Heart.  Card #1 uses Clementine patterned paper, Desert Sand CS, Creme Brulee CS, Twilight CS banner, Sorbet CS for vertical stripe and Silver Shimmer Trim which was colored with a Honey marker (How fun is that to be able to color this ribbon with CTMH alcohol markers?!!!).  The scalloped circles were cut using the Art Philosophy cricut cartridge and the birthday greeting is from Salutation Seals and was stamped in Twilight Ink on Colonial White CS.

 

Here is the sketch from Mojo Monday 261:

 

 

Here is card #2 which uses Chocolate CS and Creme Brulee CS and the zip strip from the Clementine paper over Creme Brulee CS for the vertical stripe.

 

 





 

Which of these two cards do you like better?  Does one look more masculine or feminine than the other?

 

Keep reading my blog--a Giveaway of some sort--details with my next post!

I will be celebrating my 100th post as a blogger with my next post! I am planning some type of giveaway but am open to hearing your suggestions too. What kind of requirements should I have to be eligible to win? Please leave a comment below if you have any suggestions for me. (this is post #99 already!)

 

Here is the link for that 100th blog post!

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

:) Marie



Starburst Card for Friday Mashup

Two posts in one day!  How did that happen?  I wanted to try this Starburst Technique to enter the Friday Mashup Challenge and the deadline was 2 hours away so I had to do it today.  I used Miracle papers (retired CTMH), Silver Embossing Powder, Versamark Ink, Silver Shimmer Trim, Twilight CS and A1125 Thanks--all from Close To My Heart.  I found the directions to make this card here.

 

Please excuse the flash photography--it was dark outside when I got the inspiration to make this card and I wanted to post it right away.  I will be approaching my 100th post in a few weeks and would welcome suggestions on how to commemorate it on my blog.  I would love to read your comments.....

 

Happy creating!

:) Marie

My Rock the Block Challenge--Day 6--Sympathy

I'm back to using the corner stamp today--my favorite stamp of the Rock the Block set which can be found here. The CS colors are Garden Green and Twilight. I used Twilight ink to stamp the corner floral stamp and the greeting. Next I stamped over both images with Versamark ink and then embossed with CTMH Polysparkle Clear embossing powder (retired). I carefully cut out the corner floral image and used foam tape to raise it up. Licorice adhesive gems (CTMH) were placed on the flower centers. The greeting is from B1369 Rosy Regards also from CTMH.

Thanks for visiting my blog. I still have lots of great ideas of how to use this set!

November Constant Campaign--Holiday Wishes and Clean and Simple Sketch Challenge

Close To My Heart is offering a fantastic holiday stamp set called "Holiday Wishes" for just $5.00 (valued at $17.95) with a purchase of $25 in acrylic stamps during November 2011. I received mine yesterday and had a blast making these cards today. There are coordinating Art Philosophy cricut cuts to match these stamps. These are the stamps that come in the set and I managed to use every one of them in these 4 cards. All products used are from Close To My Heart.

This first card is based on the Clean and Simple Stamping Sketch FTL164 which can be found here.It features "Believe" paper, Topiary and Holiday Red CS and Topiary Ink. Lines were embossed on the Holiday Red CS and then distressed with a sanding block. The star and banner were cut on the cricut with CTMH Art Philosophy cartridge.

The next card features "Wonderland" paper, Twilight CS, and Blue and Green Sparkles. After stamping with Twilight Ink, the images were stamped in Versamark and then clear embossed with Polysparkle Tinsel Embossing Powder (CTMH retired).

The tree in this card was stamped in Sweet Leaf Ink on Sweet Leaf CS. The birds were colored with a Tulip marker. The same image was then stamped in Versamark and embossed with Polysparkle Tinsel and then Topiary Ink was rubbed across the tree. The background paper is CTMH "Mistletoe" (retired).

The final card features Vineyard Berry CS and Ink. Bronze glitter gel was applied at the top of each stocking and Stardust glitter gel was used on the angel halos and wings.