Color Dare #44--Creme Brulee and Juniper and Blog Candy Giveaway Details

This week's Color My Heart Color Dare features the Close To My Heart colors Creme Brulee and Juniper.  Several of the Color Dare Design Team members and I are also participating in this weekend's Operation Write Home blog hop so I will be using the same Operation Write Home sketch for today's post as well as tomorrow's.  I chose to use OWH sketch #71 which looks like this:

My card uses a Juniper colored patterned paper from Jingle which was available several years ago, Creme Brulee CS, a thin Cocoa CS stripe, Quick Cards--Bumblebee stamp, Cocoa ink, Versamark ink, Clear Embossing Powder, Creme Brulee ink with honeycomb stamp from Wicked stamp set (CTMH retired) and glossy paper (retired CTMH).  3D Foam Tape lifts the focus panel from the center panel.

Before I stamped on the center panel I used a Polished Stone Technique to create the background.  I soaked a cotton ball with Rubbing Alcohol and then put drops of Creme Brulee and Juniper reinkers on the cotton ball.  I then rubbed the alcohol and color soaked cotton ball over the glossy paper to create the multicolored or marbled effect.  (I did not add a metallic ink to the cotton ball as originally described in this technique here).  Although I have plenty of Glossy CS in my stash it may be hard to find.  The blue package of glossy photographic paper pictured here would be a source--I got this package at Dollar Tree.

 

This was a very easy sketch to follow as the paper dimensions are listed in the sketch photo.  I will definitely be using more OWH sketches in the future!

We hope you can join in on this challenge.  If you don't have Close To My Heart colors you may substitute something similar.  Please use only the 2 challenge colors (this week it is Juniper and Creme Brulee)--you may use neutrals to complement these colors but the challenge focus is to use these colors. Link up your papercrafted creation (it does not have to be a card!) here by Thursday, May 30, 2012 9PM CST.  There is a monthly prize to be won by one lucky person!  Don't forget to see what the rest of the Design Team has ready to inspire you!

BLOG CANDY GIVEAWAY DETAILS:

In celebration of our military heroes (proud Navy mom here) I'm offering a prize to one lucky person whose name will be picked at random.  The prize package will include 100+ assorted cardfronts (4.25" x 5.5").  All pieces are from Close To My Heart papers--some current and some retired along with some border strips.

 

To be eligible to win you must:

--Become a follower of my blog AND

--Write a comment on my 5/25/ 2013 Operation Write Home post indicating you are a blog follower

--Deadline to comment on my blog is midnight EST, May 31st, 2013

Thanks for stopping by!  Have a wonderful week filled with fun and creativity!  Good luck in the prize drawing!

:) Marie

 

 

 

Graduation Cards Using Atlantic Hearts Sketch #4

I love the simplicity of the latest Atlantic Hearts Sketch #4 and I used it to make some graduation cards that I will actually be sending.  Following the sketch I used various Cuttlebug folders, cardstocks, trims and Glitter Gels.  The graduation cap stamp is from an old wooden Close To My Heart set called "Congratulations Graduate".  The cap was stamped in black ink and then cut out and placed on 3D Foam Tape to lift it off the card a bit. I'm not sue which is my favorite one yet.  Perhaps you can leave a comment and let me know what your favorite one is.

***Here is a tip for leaving a flat area on a dry embossed panel.  First stamp the image, then place the paper partway into the embossing folder and place the folder horizontally on the embossing plates and crank through the machine.  Then do the other side in the same manner*** 

Embossing folders used:  Baby's Breath, Musical Flourish, Argyle, Swiss Dots--all Cuttlebug folders.

Papers used:  Close To My Heart--Topiary CS, Pacifica CS, Cranberry CS, Outdoor Denim Fleur Des Jardines BT paper (retired), Black CS, Metallic Papers (Retired)

Trims used:  Metallic paper stripe, Shimmer Trim, Slate Polka Dot Washi Tape, gold curling ribbon

Glitter Gels used:  Green Glitz Glitter Gel, Silver Glitz Glitter Gel, Red Glitz Glitter Gel, Stardust Glitz Glitter Gel  

Please stop by my blog tomorrow (5/24/13) to see the new Color My Heart Color Dare Challenge and details about my upcoming Memorial Weekend Blog Candy Giveaway.

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

:) Marie

Baby Card from Artiste Birthday Girl Key for Rose Blossom Garden Challenge #4

I've been pondering entering this challenge for the past week but just couldn't come up with a good idea.  Today I was asked to make a baby card and I got inspired to play along with the Rose Blossom Garden Challenge #4.  The challenge requires that we use a cricut cut from the Artiste cartridge from pg.69--the Birthday Girl key.   I used the Card and Shift key and cut at 8.25" from Heavenly Blue CS (retired CTMH) which actually makes an envelope.  I modified the shape I cut by trimming the sides and cutting off the bottom part to create a nice frame.  The patterned paper is retired Heavenly Blue and there is a Buttercup CS mat also.  The stamp is a very old wooden stamp by Close To My Heart called "For Baby".  There is a 1.5" strip of CTMH Black and Grey Glitter paper on the top part of the card.  I used Buttercup and Heavenly Blue markers to color the image and glitzed it up with Stardust Glitz Glitter Gel on the 2 stars and Silver Glitz Glitter Gel on the dots going around the image.  3D Foam Tape elevates the frame over the Silver Glitter strip and patterned paper.

 

Please stop by my blog tomorrow (5/24/13) to see the new Color My Heart Color Dare Challenge and details about my upcoming Memorial Weekend Blog Candy Giveaway.

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

Color My Heart Color Dare #43--Cranberry, Honey and Outdoor Denim and Atlantic Hearts Sketch #3

Welcome back to another Color Dare post!  This week we challenge you to use these three Close To My Heart colors:  Cranberry, Honey and Outdoor Denim.  Neutrals such as black and white are allowed yet we really would like you to use these three colors exclusively.  Of course, if you don't yet own any of these colors you may substitute something similar.  These colors are also featured in the Tommy paper pack.  I used part of a sheet of Tommy paper for the 3 small anchors which are mounted on the side panel.  The Outdoor Denim base was run through my Cuttlebug machine with the Anchors Away embossing folder and then distressed with a sanding block from the CTMH Sanding Kit.  Thank you is from Say it in Style (now retired CTMH but still one of my favorites).  The small anchor Tommy paper circles were popped up from the card with 3D Foam Tape and glittered with my favorite embellishment--Stardust Glitz Glitter Gel.  My son and his wife sent me a beautiful flower assortment for Mother's Day and since he is in the Navy I thought he would like this nautical themed thank you card.

I had a little extra time this week so I made a second card.  I used the Atlantic Hearts Sketch #3 as my inspiration.  The buttons are from Thoughtful Seasons stamp set (retired CTMH) and the flourish is from You and Me (also retired CTMH).  The greeting is from A Little Thanks.  The frame around the 4 buttons was cut with a Family Treasures scissors. (Close To My Heart used to carry this one many years ago.)

Here is the Atlantic Hearts Sketch #3:

Now head on over to Color My Heart Color Dare to check out what the rest of the Design Team has for you.  We would love for you to play along with us--just link up your creation to the blog by Thursday evening, May 23, 9PM CST.  There is a monthly prize up for grabs!.

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

White with a Pop of Color for Keep it Simple #13

Here is a very quick card I made for  the Keep it Simple #13 Challenge--mostly white (CTMH White Daisy) with a pop of color.  I used an Anna Griffin embossing folder called Aviary and colored the bird with a retired Close To My Heart Dutch Blue marker.  I mounted it onto retired Close To My Heart Star Spangled Blue CS with coordinating ribbon.  The greeting is from Perfect Fit--Birthday and was stamped in Star Spangled Blue ink and then popped up with 3D Foam Tape.

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

:) Marie

 

Rose Blossom Garden Challenge #3--Circus or "P" Key from Artiste

It took me quite awhile to come up with a design idea for the latest Rose Blossom Garden Challenge.  These horses are from the carousel image on page 50 of the Artiste handbook (accent 4 shift cut at 1.75").  The background paper is from the Sweetheart paper packet and the horses were cut from Clementine and Florentine.  Their hooves have Silver Glitz Glitter Gel on them and their eyes and tails have Stardust Glitz Glitter Gel.  The greeting was typed in Word and printed onto White Daisy cardstock. The mat behind the greeting is a scrap leftover from the Bliss paper pack.  3D Foam Tape was used to pop up the horses and greeting.

If you like challenges with Close to My Heart products then I encourage you to check out the latest Color My Heart Color Dare #42 using Blush, Cotton Candy and Hollyhock.  You can see my Design Team submission here.

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

Words of Comfort Card for Atlantic Hearts Sketch #2

Last week I participated in the first Atlantic Hearts Sketch challenge and my card was selected as one of the top three!  I was very excited and honored to receive this distinction--check out the blue heart button on my sidebar--very nice award!  This week I needed to make some sympathy cards and I decided to use Atlantic Hearts Sketch #2.  I can't decide which card I like better.  All products used are from Close to My Heart (although some have been retired!)

Card #1--Bliss paper, Whisper CS,  True Teal CS, Words of Comfort stamp set, True Teal ink, Just Blooms, Art Philosophy cut oval2 at 1.75", Cuttlebug embossing folder with distressing to reveal white cardstock, Blue and Green Sparkles.

Card #2--Avonlea paper, Whisper CS, True Teal CS, Colonial White CS, Words of Comfort stamp set, True Teal ink, Art Philosophy cut oval2 at 1.75", Silver Glitz Glitter Gel for flower centers and 3D Foam Tape.

Here is the sketch I followed:

 

If you like challenges with Close to My Heart products then I encourage you to check out the latest Color My Heart Color Dare #42 using Blush, Cotton Candy and Hollyhock.  You can see my Design Team submission here.

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

:) Marie

Color Dare #42--Blush, Cotton Candy and Hollyhock--Happy Mother's Day!

 Color My Heart Color Dare is a weekly color challenge that features Close To My Heart colors--feel free to substitute similar colors if you don't have these colors yet. Three lovely pinks are the challenge ingredients for week #42.   From left to right these colors are Blush, Cotton Candy and Hollyhock.  Before I glued them to the Black CS I used temporary adhesive to attach them to a piece of scrap paper so I could black emboss the  flourish from the Love Life stamp set.  The #1 Mom medallion was cut from Black and Grey Glitter Paper using the CTMH Artiste cartridge (page 74 shift cut at 1.5").  This piece was then adhered to a square of Black CS and then popped up off of the card using 3D Foam Tape.  The bottom White Daisy stripe was dry embossed with a Cuttlebug folder and then embellished with Pink Glitz Glitter Gel.  The last thing I did to this card was to place Silver Glitz Glitter Gel dots to the ends of the flourish image.

I am also entering this card into the following challenges:
Stuck on U Sketches--Use a Diecut for Mom or Mother
Fantabulous Cricut #159--Mother's Day
ABC Challenges #27--Tic Tac Toe--Glitter, Dry Embossing, Pink Cardstock

I was very pleased to have my hexagon card from last week's Color Dare challenge selected as last week's Top Three in the new Atlantic Hearts Challenge blog.  This blog was started by Atlantic Canadian Close to My Heart consultants Darla Haverstock and Michelle Stewart. 

Now it's your turn to see what you can come up with using these three pinks.  Are you up for this challenge?  If so, please link your blog post featuring your papercrafted creation (does not have to be a card) to Color My Heart Color Dare by Thursday, May 16 at 9PM CT.  I look forward to seeing you in our gallery!

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