Addicted to Stamps and More #216--Anything Goes!

Welcome back to another Addicted to Stamps and More challenge blog post!  This week we invite you to join our "Anything Goes" challenge. 

Our wonderful sponsor is

Happy Little Stampers was created in 2015 by Kylie (owner of ATSM and ATCAS). Kylie wanted to bring out a line of stamps that were useful for every day crafters. From cute to whimsical images, from everyday to funky sentiments there is something for everyone!

Shop: Happy Little Stampers

Prize: $15 gift certificate

My center panel step card was cut and scored on the Cricut Explore.  Here is the Design Space file if you would like to replicate it.  Are you wondering how I created the textured background on the main panel?  I placed a piece of Press 'n Seal on an acrylic block and pressed it into Glacier ink and stamped the white focal panel.

Close to My Heart products used:

     White Daisy CS

     Topiary CS (retired)

     Topiary Ink (retired)

     Cotton Candy CS (retired)

     Cotton Candy Ink (retired)

     Glacier Ink 

     Topiary Chevron Ribbon (retired0

     Blossom Cardmaking Workshop stamps (retired)

     Happy to Be Friends stamps

     Stardust Glitz Glitter Gel (retired)

I'm also sharing this card with the Sunny Day Crafting Blog #19--Anything Goes and Scrappin' 4 Fun Anything Goes challenge.

Be sure to stop by the Addicted to Stamps and More blog to see what the rest of the fabulous Design Team has to share.

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

:) Marie

p.s. If you like what I've shared here please consider becoming a follower of my blog. :)

Color Dare #215 Meets Freshly Made Sketches #258

Welcome back to another Color My Heart Color Dare challenge blog post!  This week we are challenging you to combine Close to My Heart pinks Pixie and Cotton Candy with White Daisy.

My card features the new Thankful for You stamp (I'm loving those swans!) and Thin Cuts along with the new Whimsy Fundamentals patterned paper.

Close to My Heart products used:
     White Daisy CS
     Whimsy Fundamentals--Love paper
     Whimsy Fundamentals--Heart pattern (retired)
     Thankful for You stamps
     Cotton Candy CS (retired)
     Cotton Candy Ink (retired)
     Pixie Ink
     White Glitter paper
     3D Foam Tape
     Clear Shimmer Brush

Here is the Color My Heart Color Dare challenge graphic:

Here is the Freshly Made Sketch #258 that inspired my card layout:

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

     Scrappin4Fun Challenge--Anything Goes

     Sunny Days Crafting #18--Always Anything Goes

     Unicorn Challenge #14--Pretty Pinks or Halloween

Now head on over to the Color My Heart Color Dare blog and check out what the rest of the fabulous Design Team has to inspire you.

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

Fabulous Flamingo

My Florida sister has a birthday this week so I made her this flamingo card:

Close to My Heart products used:
     White Daisy CS
     Tickled Pink stamps and Thin Cut Dies (newly retired)
     Calypso paper (newly retired)
     Black Ink
     Pixie Ink
     Cotton Candy Ink
     Cotton Candy CS
     Clear Shimmer Brush (on wing)
     3D Foam Tape

Here is the Paper Players sketch that inspired my card layout:

I'm also entering this card into the Just Add Ink--"Just Add Wings" challenge.

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

:) Marie

Going Wild with Ink Blots

If you are looking for the Joyful Stars Blog hop post please go here.

I made this card for a young lady in Army Boot Camp.  It was inspired by Can You Case it #132.

Close to My Heart products used:

     Flower Market cricut cartridge--hello

     Champagne CS

     Cotton Candy CS

     Smokey Plum Fleurs des Jardin paper (retired)

     Ink Blot stamp set

     Hollyhock CS

     Smokey Plum Ink

     Cotton Candy Ink

     Hollyhock Ink

     Liquid Glass for star

Here is the Can You Case it sketch I followed:

     

The challenge over at Simon Says this week is "Going Wild".  Consider that I "went wild" stamping all those ink blots in the background!

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

:) Marie

Color Dare #198--Cotton Candy, Sweet Leaf and White Daisy

Welcome back to another Color My Heart Color Dare challenge blog post.  This week we have another 3 color challenge--Cotton Candy, Sweet Leaf and White Daisy.  Here is a quick card I made using the Artistry cartridge and a Sketch Saturday sketch.

Would you like to know how I created the "texture" on the main panel behind the Cotton Candy flowers?  Here is a closeup view:

Okay, here is what I used:
     Sweet Leaf Ink pad
     White Daisy CS
     Large acrylic block
     Glad "Press n Seal"--place the 'sticky" side onto the block, smooth it out and            apply ink to the other side and then "stamp" onto White Daisy CS.

Close to My Heart products used:
     Artistry cartridge
     Cotton Candy CS
     Zoe paper
     White Daisy CS
     Seaside Greetings birthday greeting
     Adorable stamp set (retired)
     Cotton Candy Ink
     Sweet Leaf Ink
     Stardust Glitz Glitter Gel (retired)

Other products:
     White craft foam to back the center panel
     Liquid Pearls White Opal

Here is the Color Graphic for Color Dare #198.  Just click on it to get to our challenge blog to be inspired by the rest of the fabulous Design Team.  We would like you to use all and only these colors but if you don't have these Close to My Heart colors yet you may substitute with similar colors.
   

   

Here is the Sketch Saturday sketch that inspired my card layout:

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

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

:) Marie

   

Color Dare #192 Meets Mojo Monday #446

Welcome back to another Color My Heart Color Dare challenge blog post.  May is National Scrapbooking Month and Close to My Heart is celebrating with a special offering of a fabulous paper pack called Happy Times (FREE with $60 purchase) and a coordinating stamp set called Happy Times only available in May.  Here is a picture of the beautiful papers:  

Color Dare #192 is to use all and only the colors from the Happy Times paper packet plus gold:  Fern, Canary, Cotton Candy, Glacier, White Daisy and Gold. (If you don't have these exact CTMH colors yet, feel free to substitute similar colors so you can still join in on the fun.)

My card features a brand new stamp set called "A Bunch of Love" that has coordinating dies called Thin Cuts.  The shiny gold mat was cut from the large striped gold and white paper from the Happy Times set.

Close to My Heart products used:

     Happy Times paper

     White Daisy CS

      A Bunch of Love stamp

     Artfully Sent Just to Say stamp greeting

     Fern CS

     Fern Ink

     Cotton Candy CS

     Cotton Candy Ink

     Tender Pink Shin Han Touch Marker

     Golden Yellow Shin Han Touch Marker

     Sap Green Shin Han Touch Marker

Other products:

     Heart punches

The inspiration for my card layout came from Mojo Monday #446:

Now it's your turn to get creative--how will you use all and only these fabulous Happy Times colors?  Come check out what the rest of the awesome Color My Heart Color Dare Design Team has to inspire you.

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

:) Marie

Color Dare #185 Meets Atlantic Hearts Sketch #151

Welcome back to another Color My Heart Color Dare challenge blog post.  This week we are challenging you to use all and only the following colors:  Cotton Candy, Sweet Leaf, Topiary, Glacier and White Daisy.

My card features the Close to My Heart stamp set called "Kiss it Better" and the challenge colors.

The hearts in the center of the bandaids were stamped in Cotton Candy Ink and then covered with Liquid Glass which slightly altered the color.

When I saw this week's Atlantic Hearts Sketch I knew I would be using these bandaids to make this card.  Thank you Atlantic Hearts for providing such wonderful sketches to inspire us!

Head on over to the Color Dare blog and check out what the rest of the fabulous Design Team has to inspire you.

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

:) Marie

Sneak Peek for Color Dare #134

Welcome to another Color My Heart Color Dare challenge post.  This week we are inviting you to play along and use the following Close to My Heart colors:  Cotton Candy, Lagoon, Olive along with Black and White Daisy.  (If you don't have these CTMH colors yet you may substitute similar colors so don't let that stop you from joining in on the fun!)

My card features a soon to be released Hostess Rewards stamp called "Exotic Flower".  It is from the second Seasonal Expressions catalog which will be available April 1 through August 30 2015.

Close to My Heart products used:

     Cotton Candy CS

     Black CS

     White Daisy CS

     Exotic Flower stamp

     Happy to Be You (from Seasonal Expressions 1)

     Black Ink

     Cotton Candy Ink

     Lagoon Ink

     Olive Ink

     Sponge Daubers

Other products:

      White Opal Liquid Pearls

I must admit that I was not thrilled about combining Olive with Lagoon and Cotton Candy but I really like how this card came out. 

So now it's your turn to take the Color Dare challenge--the challenge is open until Thursday, March 26 at 9PM CT.  Link up your blog post here.

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

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

Another Ice Fishing Card for Dee Dee's Digis and Send a Smile for Kids

I'm still having fun playing with this delightful Ice Fishing Digital stamp!  Here is a more masculine version:

Close To My Heart products used:

     White Daisy CS

     Cotton Candy CS

     Moonstruck CS (retired)

     Moonstruck B & T paper (retired)

     

Other products

     Dee Dee's Digis January Stamp of the Month Ice Fishing--FREE this month!

Challenges entered:

      Send a Smile for Kids--Valentine or Love cards

      Dee Dee's Digis--January Digi of the Month

      The Male Room Challenge Blog--new beginnings--I see it as a new relationship....

      Pile it On--Digi Papers or Precolored Digis

      Crafty Creations Challenges--"Brrr, the blues!"

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

:) Marie

P.S.  My next post I will be returning to creating with acrylic stamps!

     

You've Caught My Heart for Send a Smile for Kids and DeeDee's Digis

As I was reading my blog list a few days ago I learned about a free offer from DeeDee's Digis.  The digital stamp set was FREE!  I couldn't resist trying out digital stamping because the images are so darned cute!  I made a Valentine's card so I can send it on to Send A Smile for Kids who are sending them to sick kids in some hospitals.  It was so EASY to size the image in Word, print it and then embellish it with some stamping and Liquid Pearls.

Do you recognize the current Atlantic Hearts Sketch?  Here is the graphic that inspired me:

Close To My Heart products used:

     White Daisy CS

     Cotton Candy CS

     Cotton Candy Ink

     Moonstruck Ink (retired)

     Love Life stamps (retired)

Other products:

     White Liquid Pearls

    DeeDee's Digis Ice Fishing stamps

Head on over to DeeDee's and grab this adorable set of digital stamps:

    

Challenges entered with this card:

     Atlantic Hearts Sketch #88--sketch

     Dee Dee's Digis--Digi of the Month challenge

     Send a Smile for Kids--Valentine or Love cards

      Pile it On--Digi Paper or Precolored Digis

     Simon Says--Anything Goes Wednesday Challenge

     

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

:) Marie

     

Bright and Bold Colors for Sunday Stamps #75 with Technostampers Sketch #312

Are you ready for another Sunday Stamps Color Challenge?  Thanks to all the talented ladies who participated in last fortnight's Sketch challenge--we hope you will join us for this color challenge too!

The recommended Stampin Up colors are Black, Melon Mambo and Coastal Cabana.  The closest Close To My Heart colors are Black, Cotton Candy and Lagoon.  

Close To My Heart products used:

     Black CS

     Lagoon CS

     Cotton Candy CS

     For Always paper (retired)

     In The Background stamp set

     Swirls Around stamp set

     Salutation Seals stamp set (retired)

     Lagoon Ink

     Cotton Candy Ink

    3D Foam tape

Other products:

     Liquid Pearls--White Opal

This is the Technostampers Sketch #312 that I followed:

We can't wait to see what you create using this sketch!   Please use a direct link to join us here and include a link back to us in your blog post.  (Feel free to post our sketch graphic too to let your readers know about our challenge.)  You have until Friday, May 16 at 6PM EST to enter this challenge.

Please take the time to visit the rest of the Design Team's blogs and leave them some appreciation.
Hayley, Joan, Brenda, Holly, Steph and Kathya.

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

:) Marie

     

Embossed Pearlescent Paper for Technostamper Sketch Challenge #309

As I was reading my blog list the other day I found another challenge blog--Technostamper.  I really liked the sketch and went to my stash to play along.  I really like how the embossed pearlescent paper looks on this card and will be doing this again soon.  Here's a helpful tip I can share with you--to give color to the teacup image I left it in the embossing folder and softly rubbed the 1" pigment ink square over the top.

Close To My Heart products used:

     Cotton Candy Ink (pigment ink)

     Holiday Tags 

     Outdoor Denim CS

     Outdoor Denim Ink

     Whisper CS

     3D Foam Tape

Other products:

       Daisy Burst embossing folder by Sizzix

       Pearlescent Paper by Colorbok

       Cuttlebug embossing folder (teacup with flower)

Here is the sketch that inspired me:

 

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

:) Marie

Jigsaw Pieced Valentine Card

If you are looking for the current Color My Heart Color Dare card go here.

Next Friday is Valentine's Day and it has inspired me to make some cards.  I'm following Fantabulous Cricut Challenge #196 to use Red, White and Pink, Cards in an Envy Love in the Air theme, Cut it Up #38 to make a Valentine card and the sketch from CAS(e) This Sketch #63.

Close To My Heart Products Used:

    White Daisy CS

    Cranberry CS

    Cotton Candy CS

    Artiste Cartridge (page 57 accent 2 cut at 1.75")

    Artiste banner stamp

    Whoo's Your Valentine greeting stamp (retired CTMH)

    Cotton Candy Ink (second generation ink for banner and first generation ink for greeting)

Here is the sketch I used:

I'm also entering this card into the Catered Crop challenge to use a heart and Heart2Heart challenge about Love.

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

:) Marie

Color Dare #80--Ruby, Sunset, Cotton Candy

Welcome back to another Color My Heart Color Dare blog post!  This week the challenge colors are Ruby, Sunset and Cotton Candy. We invite you to use the featured Close To My Heart colors in your papercrafting. (Neutral colors are permitted as are close color substitutions if you don't have the assigned colors yet.)  We look forward to seeing what you  create and leaving comments on your blog.  We also have a randomly chosen monthly prize winner--the more challenges you enter the greater your chance of winning a prize!

Products Used:

    Ruby CS

    Sunset CS

    Cotton Candy CS

    White Daisy CS

    Black CS

    In The Background floral stamp

    Laughing Lola Cardmaking Kit Thinking of You Stamp

    Ruby Ink

    Sunset Ink

    Cotton Candy Inkwww.colormyheartcolordare.blogspot.com

   3D Foam Tape

I'm also entering this card into Dream Valley Challenges--to use NO Designer Paper,the Catered Crop to use a heart and Heart2Heart to show LOVE.

Check out what the rest of the fabulous Color My Heart Color Dare Design Team B has to inspire you:  Gretchen, Hansi, Michelle, Sheila and Sarah.  You have until Thursday, Feb. 13 9PM CT to enter your papercrafted creation here.  We look forward to visiting your blogs and seeing what you create with the colors Ruby, Sunset and Cotton Candy.

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

:) Marie

Glittered Sarita for Color Dare #60

This is my off week from Design Team responsibilities for Color My Heart Color Dare but I just love the colors so much I had to create something! 

 

All products are from Close To My Heart and are available on my website here.  (The chalkboard technique I used here is explained in this post from last week.)

You Are My Happy stamp set--available until the end of September 2013.
Sarita paper
Cotton Candy CS
Lagoon CS
Gypsy CS
Black CS
Black Shimmer Trim
Stardust Glitz Glitter Gel
3D Foam Tape

 

Thanks for stopping by!  Be sure to stop by tomorrow for a new Color Dare!  Have a wonderful week filled with fun and creativity!

:) Marie

Color Dare #46--Choose Your Own Pink, Yellow and Orange with Watercoloring Technique

This week's Color My Heart Color Dare challenges you to make a card using  all 3 colors (neutrals are allowed and don't count as a color) but you get to choose which shade of pink, yellow and orange to use from the Close To My Heart color palette. (If you don't have these colors you may substitute something similar).

   The bottom two cards use a watercolor technique and the following CTMH colors:  Cotton Candy, Honey and Autumn Terracotta.  I used watercolor paper, a brush, some water and CTMH inkpads.  First I squeezed the closed inkpad lid into the pad so some ink would get onto the lid.  I then dipped my brush in water and then onto the inked lid and then painted the watercolor paper.  In the first card (Thanks) I stamped the floral image from In The Background with Versamark ink and then clear embossed it BEFORE I painted alternating striped diagonal colors.  After I trimmed the watercolored paper I matted it with strips of Autumn Terracotta and Cotton Candy.  The greeting is from Thoughtful Tidings (retired CTMH) and was stamped onto Art Philosophy cut White Daisy CS (pg. 63 square 5 cut at 1.75") with Autumn Terracotta Ink.  It was also matted onto Autumn Terracotta CS (same square 5 cut at 2") and onto a 2.25" square of Honey CS.  The final step was to add the Cotton Candy pom pom trim (retired CTMH).

For the second card I painted circles--from inside out the colors are Honey, Autumn Terracotta and Cotton Candy.  I then stamped over the circle with the medallion from Love Life in Archival Black Ink.  (I wanted to be sure the ink would not bleed).  From left to right the colored 1 5/8" squares are
Autumn Terracotta, Cotton Candy and Honey.  The medallion was mounted with 3D Foam Tape onto  a medallion cut from Black CS using the Artiste cartridge (page 31 accent 2 cut at 2.75").  These elements were all adhered to Colonial White CS.

While I was playing with these colors the new Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge was announced and I really liked it so I figured I'd make one more pink, yellow and orange card.   This time I used lighter  colors--Blush, Creme Brulee and Sorbet and the Honeycomb stamp set.  I used just the sentiment from Quick Card--Bumblebee  in Chocolate ink.  The final touch was the addition of 3 Mocha Opaque Gems under the greeting.  This was a really quick card to make following the sketch.

Here is the Atlantic Hearts Challenge Sketch:

What 3 color combinations will you try? Current Close To My Heart yellows are:  Buttercup, Creme Brulee and Honey.  Current CTMH oranges are:  Goldrush, Autumn Terracotta, Sorbet and Sunset.  Current CTMH pinks are:  Blush, Smoothie, Cotton Candy and Hollyhock.  You may also use discontinued CTMH colors (or substitute other products if you don't have CTMH inkpads yet.)  To link up your papercrafted creation go to Color My Heart Color Dare.  The deadline is Thursday, June 13 at 7PM CST.  There is a monthly prize you could win!  Check out what the rest of the Design Team and our Guest Designer Sheila Bennett have done to get your creative juices flowing.

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