Avonlea Many Thanks Card for My Time To Craft #220--Sentiment As The Main Focus

Here is a quick card that I made with Close To My Heart Avonlea paper, Thoughtful Tidings (retired stamp set), Frame Flair label stamp, Twilight CS, Twilight Ink, Silver Glitz Glitter Gel, Stardust Glitz Glitter Gel (on parts of background panel) Twilight Marker and Juniper Marker.  The label was cut with the CTMH Art Philosophy cartridge--page 54 rectangle 2 cut at 2".    The My Time To Craft #220 challenge was my inspiration to create this card and I'm linking it up there.

 

Thanks for stopping by!  Please come back tomorrow to check out the new Color My Heart Color Dare Challenge post.  Have a wonderful week filled with fun and creativity!

:) Marie

Color Dare #41--Pick your Color and Combine it with Saddle, Cocoa or White

Welcome back to another Color My Heart Color Dare blog post!  In this week's challenge you get to pick your favorite Close to My Heart Color and combine it with Saddle, Cocoa or White (usually we get to combine the featured colors with any of the 10 colors in the Basic color palette).

 I wouldn't say that Creme Brulee is my favorite CTMH color but it is one that works well with the two shades of brown allowed in this challenge.  My first card uses a technique called "Split Negative" which can be found here.  Instead of using a stamped image to do this technique I used an Art Philosophy cut butterfly (page 41 layer shift cut at 2") with the colors Creme Brulee and Cocoa.  The bottom stripe was stamped with In the Background flowers in Creme Brulee ink on White Daisy CS matted with Cocoa CS.   Opaques Mocha Adhesive Gems were used for the antennae and flower centers from the bottom stripe.  I used my favorite CTMH embellishment--Stardust Glitz Glitter Gel--to glitz up the wings and some dots on the bottom stripe.

This week I became aware of another sketch challenge blog started by fellow Close To My Heart consultants so I figured I'd make a second card with Creme Brulee combined with Saddle following their sketch.  The name of the challenge is Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge.  I followed the sketch and stamped Honeycomb  hexagons in Saddle Ink onto Creme Brulee CS.  The tiny bees that are popped up from the card with 3D Foam Tape is from a Petite Perks set.  The Saddle stripe on the bottom was created by inking White Daisy CS directly with the Saddle stamp pad--it's hard to believe that I don't own Saddle CS yet!  How did that happen?   The bee wings were also embellished with Stardust Glitz Glitter Gel.

 

Here is the Atlantic Hearts Sketch #1:

 

Please come check out what the rest of the Color My Heart Color Dare Design Team have come up with.  You'll be inspired for sure!  You can submit your papercrafted item (doesn't have to be a card) by Thursday evening 9PM CS May 9.  Hope you can join in on the fun!

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

:) Marie

Bake a Cake for Heart2Heart Challenge

The Close to My Heart Artiste cartridge has a wonderful key that makes this folded cupcake card.  All I added were some Twilight marker lines and the cherry on top (also from the Artiste cartridge--page 71 cupcake= card function cut at 4.25", cherry = accent 3 shift)  The paper is CTMH Clementine and the inside greeting is from Card Sentiments (retired CTMH).  The ink is Sorbet and the cherry is Ruby.  I adhered it to a piece of Colonial White CS which was also edged with Sorbet ink.  It was a pretty quick card to make!  I'm entering this card into the Heart2Heart Challenge called Bake a Cake.

If you like challenges with Close to My Heart products that I encourage you to check out the latest Color My Heart Color Dare #40 using Creme Brulee, Goldrush and Sunset.  I used a new for me technique called Wax Paper Resist Embossing.  You can see it here.

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

Color Dare #40--Creme Brulee, Goldrush and Sunset with Wax Paper Resist Technique

Color My Heart Color Dare #40 challenges us to create a papercrafted item with these three Close To My Heart Colors: Creme Brulee, Goldrush and Sunset--all on the warm side of the color wheel.  I wanted to try a new technique that I had seen on Pinterest called Wax Paper Resist.  Instead of placing a piece of cardstock inside an embossing folder to create a textured background you use a piece of wax paper. You run that through your dry embossing machine such as a Cuttlebug to emboss it.   Next you place the wax paper between 2 pieces of glossy paper (CTMH used to carry this many years ago and I have lots of it left so I may as well use it!) with the shiny side against the wax paper and place that inside 2 sheets of aluminum foil and heat with a dry iron.  Next you use a rubber brayer to apply color to the glossy paper until it is saturated. (You can wipe off the excess wax with a tissue when you are finished.)  If you would like a visual demonstration check out this video link.  I brayered each of three wax resisted embossed sheets with the assigned CTMH inks and then cut those pieces up to make three different cards using three different neutral backgrounds.

These are the cards I created:

I found my inspiration for this first card by a card made by Sage Kimble and found on Pinterest here.

The greeting is from Casual Expressions and Kraft and Black cardstock was used.

.

 The inspiration for the second card came from this past week's CAS(E) this Sketch #24.  I mounted 5 strips of the wax resisted brayered glossy papers onto a Sunset CS mat.  The "happy day" stamp is from "It's Your Day" special set from last fall.  Birthday Wishes is from Just a Number stamp set.  The background is White Daisy and Chocolate Ink was used for the greetings.

The inspiration for this third card came from a card made by Loretta Lock and seen on Pinterest here.  The card background is Chocolate CS with a layer of Colonial White.  The greeting was stamped in Sunset ink and is from the 4 My Friend set.  The twine is from Baker's Twine Neutral Assortment.

The Cuttlebug embossing folder that I used is called Musical Flourish.  This last picture shows what two of the brayered sheets looked like before I cut them up into pieces.  You can see how there is a positive and negative sided which created two slightly different patterns.

 I had lots of fun experimenting with this technique.  Although I like each of the cards I made for this challenge I like the one with the black and kraft background best.  I already had the strips cut but couldn't figure out how I wanted to use them until I saw the card on Pinterest that sparked me to create this one tonight.  I would love to hear what your card preference is.

Please consider joining in the challenge this week at Color My Heart.  If you don't have the three colors listed you may substitute similar colors.  You may also combine them with any of the "neutral" colors in the Close To My Heart Basic Palette.  Create your papercrafted item--does not have to be a card--and link it up to Color My Heart Color Dare by Thursday, May 2 at 9PM CST.  There is a prize to be won this month!  Remember to check out what the rest of the Color Dare Design Team has created too.

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

:) Marie

Rose Blossom Garden Challenge #2 with Seize the Birthday #14 Sketch

The current challenge at Rose Blossom Garden is to use a cut from the Artiste cartridge "Happy Mother's Day" key.   I chose to use the crown (accent 4 shift at 1.5") cut from Close to My Heart Black and Grey Glitter paper and adorned with Pink Glitter Gems.  Whisper CS was used on the top of the card and the bottom of the card features Lucy (CTMH retired) paper cut up in strips.  The card size is 5" x 6.5".  The oval mat is Wildberry CS (CTMH retired).  The stamped circles are the back side of the Lucy paper.  "Celebrate" and "Happy Birthday to You" are from Perfect Fit--Birthday Stamp Set and "It's Your Day" is from a very old wooden CTMH Superset with a spring theme.

 

The sketch is from "Seize the Birthday" #14:

 

I had fun making this card and I imagine the person who receives this card will feel like a queen!
Thanks for stopping by!  Have a wonderful week filled with fun and creativity!
:) Marie

Color Dare #39 Outdoor Denim, Gypsy and Sky with a Mojo Monday #289

Welcome to a new Color My Heart Color Dare where we feature the fabulous Close To My Heart colors.  This week's colors are Outdoor Denim, Gypsy and Sky.  I love how these colors look together.  I made two cards to showcase these colors.

The first card was made with this week's Mojo Monday sketch #289.  The card base is Gypsy with a white dry embossed (Darice Butterfly Corner) panel sponged with Gypsy ink. The light blue (Sky CS) rectangle was also dry embossed (Cuttlebug Musical Flourish) and then sanded to expose the white core of the paper.  The focal point was stamped with the birthday stamp from Salutation Seals.  It was clear embossed onto White Daisy CS and then sponged with Outdoor Denim ink.  The Outdoor Denim mat was cut with the Artiste cartridge (page 32 3D object shift at 2.25").  The tiny butterfly is from Just Blooms (CTMH retired).  The small accents were cut with a regular hole puncher--first I embossed the Outdoor Denim paper with Polysparkle Tinsel (retired CTMH) embossing powder for a little sparkle.  Here is a close up of the first card:

I made the second card because I wanted to try out a new stamp set--Chantilly Workshop on the Go Scrapbooking kit stamps.  I also tried out a new Tim Holtz  embossing diffuser--a plate with a circle cut out which makes only part of the embossing folder raised.  The "Life is Good" sentiment (one of my favorite sayings) and "4 You" setiment are from one of my all time favorite CTMH stamp sets--Remarkable Wreath (retired). I used 3D Foam Tape to pop up the bottom banner.

Head on over to the Color Dare to see what the rest of the Design Team has come up with!  They are a wonderful group of talented ladies.  We hope you can join us in the color challenge.  You may substitute a similar color if you do not have any of the challenge colors.

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

:) Marie

More Good News This Week--I Took Birthday Honors at Seize the Birthday!

Two cardmaking awards in one week!  Hooray for me! Seize the Birthday is a relatively new cardmaking challenge which features sketches to create birthday cards with alternating weeks for feminine themed or masculine themed cards.   This is my card that won Birthday Honors at Seize the Birthday this week:

Cardmaking details can be found here.
Here is the cool badge I get to display on my blog:

Thanks for letting me toot my own horn for awhile.  I've been entering card challenges for about 2 years now and have never won two recognition awards in one week before and I'm very excited about it.

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

I'm in the Top Three at the first Rose Blossom Garden Challenge!

Hello blog readers!  I'm happy to share some really good news.  Two weeks ago the Rose Blossom Garden group set up their first challenge--to use any image from the Happy Birthday page in the Artiste cartridge handbook.  I was happy to join them in their first challenge and even happier to find out that I made the top three.  Here is the card that I entered.  (Click on it to read about the details).

There is a really cool button that I can display on my blog too! 

Their next challenge is to make a papercrafted item using the Happy Mother's Day key.   Check them out at:
here.

Thanks to the wonderful ladies who started this challenge blog and who have selected my card to be among the top three.  I am honored to receive this award.

Thanks for letting me share my good news with you!  Have a wonderful week filled with fun and creativity!
:) Marie

Happy 80th Birthday Bobby G. and Seize the Birthday #13

Here is a very special card I made for a family friend who just turned 80!  He used to own a car dealership so I thought this old wooden stamp--Retro Roadster--from Close to My Heart would suit him just fine.  I couldn't figure out how I would put the number 80 on the card and then looked at the blank license plate and promptly put in the year 1933.  I followed the Seize the Birthday Sketch #13 to make this card.  Some of the supplies I used were Lucky paper (CTMH retired), Outdoor Denim Ink, Versamark Ink, Clear Embossing Powder, Whisper CS, Darice Steam Punk embossing folder, Sanding Kit, 3D Foam Tape and Just a Number.

Here's the Seize the Birthday Sketch:

    

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

:) Marie

Heart 2 Heart Pun Fun meets Cas(e) This Sketch #23

The April 1 challenge for Heart 2 Heart is called "Pun Fun" and I used the Close to My Heart stamp set called Puns of Praise to make this card.  I followed the Cas(e) this Sketch #23--my friend Sarah Stone made a lovely card here which inspired me to use this sketch.  I used a Cuttlebug folder called "Tiny Bubble" to dry emboss the card background.  The wavy stripes were cut with a Creative Memories Decorative Trimmer from Dreamin' paper (retired CTMH).  The whale stamp was stamped in Black ink onto Whisper CS and then outlined and accented with a Pacifica Alcohol Marker.  The final embellishments are Stardust Glitz Glitter Gel, 3D Foam Tape and a tiny wiggle eye. 

Here is Cas(e) this Sketch #23:

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

:) Marie

Try Stampin' on Tuesday Sketch #113 with Inkspirational Challenge #15 Photo Inspiration and Cas-ual Fridays CFC 98 Glitter

Here is a card I made following the Try Stampin' on Tuesday Sketch #113.  I really like how the sketch calls for a stamped design or embossed design on the bottom panel and a tilted focal panel.  The rose is from the Close to My Heart March Stamp of the Month called Floral Happiness in Hollyhock ink for the flower and Topiary ink on Topiary CS for the leaves. My favorite embellishment--Stardust Glitz Glitter Gel was applied to the rose outline.   The greeting is from Card Chatter--Birthday stamp set in Topiary ink on a small scrap of Bliss paper (retired CTMH).  The Hollyhock CS bottom panel was dry embossed with the Cuttlebug Baby's Breath embossing folder and then distressed with a sanding block. 

 

Here is the Try Stampin' on Tuesday sketch:

I am also entering this card into Inspirations Challenge #15--photo inspiration (pink flower)

The third challenge I'm entering this card into is Cas-ual Fridays #98--to use Glitter.
Thanks for stopping by!  Have a wonderful week filled with fun and creativity!
:) Marie

Color Dare #38--Buttercup, Pear and Twilight

Color My Heart Color Dare has a new challenge with new Close To My Heart colors:  Buttercup, Pear and Twilight.  I probably would not have thought of putting these colors together originally but thanks to Sarah's vision that is the challenge.  I do like how these colors work together in my card.  A card on Pinterest was my inspiration for this card.  The papers I used are Twilight from Florentine, Pear from Chantilly, Buttercup from Buttercup Fleurs des Jardines, with White Daisy and Slate as neutrals.  The flower centers were embellished with small pieces of Colonial White Rosette Ribbon and Clear Sparkles.  The greeting is from Casual Expressions and was stamped in Twilight ink.

Are you up for this week's challenge!  You have until Thursday, April 18 at 9PM CST to post your papercrafted item.  If you don't have these exact Close to My Heart colors, feel free to substitute something close to these colors.  We look forward to viewing your artwork in our gallery.  Please visit the other Color Dare Design Team blogs for more inspiration.  You won't be disappointed!

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

Fresnly Made Sketch #81 for Black Tie Friday #24 Black and Yellow

I love the simplicity and clean lines that the Freshly Made Sketches Challenge #81 offers so I used it for a card using black and yellow for Black Tie Friday #24.  All the products used are from Close to My Heart (although some are retired): For Always Paper, Sunny Yellow B & T paper, Just Blooms Flowers, Fanfare brads, Just a Number stamps, Stardust Glitz Glitter Gel (applied to the flower lines and edges) Black Ink and black picot ribbon (from Michael's).  This card came together quickly enough to be able to make it and post it here within an hour of the posting deadline for Black Tie Friday!

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

Artiste Happy Birthday Key for Rose Blossom Garden #1 and Inspired By #69

I love to support my Close To My Heart consultant friends.  Brenda Rose and her team have just started a challenge to use a particular key from the Close To My Heart Artiste or Art Philosophy cricut cartridges to create a papercrafted item. Check it out here. I knew that I wanted to participate in this but didn't want to use the obvious Birthday items so I challenged myself to use the diamond shape to create a card.  Once I saw the Inspired By #69 challenge I  knew that I would use their colors for this card.   I cut the diamond shape (accent 4 shift) from page 70 of the Artiste handbook at 1/2" from the following Close to My Heart cardstocks:  Outdoor Denim, Sky, Cranberry, Blush, Sunset and Buttercup.  To make it easier to lay the diamonds down evenly (virgo trait) I lightly drew pencil lines 1/2" apart and placed the points of the diamonds on the lines.  Later on I erased those lines.  The greeting is from "Say it in Style" (retired CTMH) stamped in Cranberry ink, mounted on Sky CS and popped up from the background with 3D Foam Tape.  Silver Glitz Glitter Gel was applied to the points of the diamonds.  There is a mat of silver metallic paper (retired CTMH) on top of the Outdoor Denim background.  Although it was time consuming to make this card I really like the way it turned out.

Here is the photo from Inspired By that influenced my choice of colors.

   

If you like to use Close To My Heart products I would like to encourage you to join in a weekly color challenge at Color My Heart Color Dare.  This week's challenge is to use the CTMH color Juniper in a papercrafted item.  (You may substitute a similar color if you don't have Juniper).  Check it out here:

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

:) Marie

Color Dare #37--Juniper

This week's Color My Heart Color Dare has just one color--Juniper.  You may, however, combine it with other neutral colors. (Black, White Daisy, Colonial White, Slate, Whisper, Cocoa, Chocolate, Saddle, Cashmere, Champagne, Desert Sand or Bamboo--colors in the Basics color palette from Close to My Heart.)  I used a Triple Stamping Technique to create this card.  My neutrals are White Daisy CS and Cocoa for the ink.  The stamp sets are new from Close to My Heart--Honeycomb and Quick Cards--Bumblebee.  The bumblebee was stamped onto Juniper CS and popped up off the card using 3D Foam Tape.  Two of the hexagons were stamped in Cocoa ink and popped up using 3D Foam Tape.

Now it's your turn to share a papercrafted item made with Juniper (if you don't have this Close to My Heart color you may substitute a similar color). Head on over to Color My Heart to see what the rest of our Design Team and Guest Designer Kelly Brandt have posted.   We look forward to seeing your creations posted here. 

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