Addicted to Stamps #21--Make Your Mark

Welcome back to another Addicted to Stamps and More challenge blog post!  This week we are challenging you to "Make Your Mark" with markers, paints, ink or whatever.  My card was made for my cat loving friend Diane following the Paper Players sketch #15. 

 

Here is a closeup photo so you can see the sparkly layer of Clear Shimmer Brush applied to the relaxing kitty.

Close to My Heart Products Used:
      Sea Glass CS     
     New England Ivy Green CS
     Spring Iris CS
     Birthday Sparkles Stamp
     New England Ivy Ink
     Black Memento Ink
     Clear Shimmer Brush
     Cozy Cat stamp (retired)
     Grey Wool Marker (retired)
     Spring Iris Marker (retired)
     Green Chiffon Marker (retired)
     Golden Ember Marker (retired)
     3D Foam Tape

Other:   Paw Print paper--unknown source

Here is the Paper Play Sketch that inspired my card:

 

We would love to have you play along!  Click on the graphic below to get to the ATSM blog and check out what the rest of the fabulous Design Team has to inspire you.

Sponsor

 

 

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

:) Marie

    

Masking 101 for Heart 2 Heart Challenge

I'm very excited to be sharing with my Close To My Heart friends in this first post for the Heart 2 Heart Challenges Design Team!  This is a challenge blog run by Close To My Heart consultants and featuring--you guessed it--Close To My Heart products.  Our challenge this first week of July is to share something made using a "Masking" technique so I chose one of my favorite CTMH stamps called "Cozy Cat" to illustrate this technique.  Here is my finished card:

I started with a 5.5" x 4.25" piece of White Daisy CS.  How did I get 3 cats on this piece?   I started with stamping the cat in the center first.

Next I  made a "mask" by stamping  the cat onto a piece of yellow Post-it Note.  I turned the notepad upside down so that the pillow base was over the "sticky" part.

Then I cut the mask out right on the lines.

Next I placed the mask over the stamped image.

I stamped to the right of the cat and onto the mask.

Then I reinked the stamp and placed the cat to the left partially covering the mask.

I then removed the mask and voila--3 cats, 2 appearing to be behind the center cat!

 
After I had my three cats stamped, I used the following Close To My Heart Alcohol markers to color them in: Honey, Ruby, Whisper, Pacifica, and Topiary.  Each marker set comes with a lighter and a darker marker of the same color so it made it really easy to get two tones on each pillow.

The Whisper CS mat was cut at 6" x 4.75" and the Pacifica base is 6.5" x  10" (card folded in half). The sentiment on the Ruby CS panel (1.25" x 6.5")is from Love Life and was embossed with White Embossing Powder.  If you have been following my blog for any length of time you probably know what my favorite embellishment is--Stardust Glitz Glitter Gel which I applied to the cats' collars.

Would you like to join us in this masking challenge?  Create a papercrafted item using mostly Close To My Heart products and use a direct link to link up here.  You must mention Heart 2 Heart Challenges and link back to us in your blogpost if you enter the challenge.  You have until the end of the month to post it here.  We will pick winners at the end of the month for each of the challenges of the month. We look forward to seeing what you create!

Check out what the rest of the Design Team has to inspire you:
Brittany, Carol, Kelly and Haley.


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

Seize the Birthday #7 Sketch with CTMH Cozy Cat

Cozy Cat is one of my favorite new stamps from Close To My Heart and I've already made 5 different cards featuring him.  This card follows the Seize the Birthday #7 sketch.  This card is a little larger--5" x 6.5" and uses a new CTMH paper packet called Chantilly.  The cat was stamped onto two different patterned papers (old Buttercup B&T and Chantilly) and the cat was raised from its pillow using 3D Foam Tape.  The greeting was stamped in Ruby ink onto Cotton Candy CS (included in the Chantilly paper packer) and is from a very old wooden stamp (20 +years) and I honestly can't remember who made it.  The label was cut from the Art Philosophy cartridge (page 53 layer cut at 3.75") from Ruby CS.  I applied Stardust Glitz Glitter Gel to many points and flower centers from the Chantilly paper to add a subtle "bling" to the card.

Here is the Seize the Birthday Sketch:

 

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

Black Tie Friday--animal theme

All Sorts Challenge Blog--animal theme

Heads up--there is a prize to be won this week over at Color My Heart Color Dare--a brand new January Stamp of the Month from Close To My Heart called "Happy Valentine's Day".

 

Here is a link to a lovely card I made using this stamp set.  The creative possibilities are endless with this group of stamps!

For your chance to win the above prize submit your papercrafted item by 2/28/13 at 9PM CST to the link supplied in the above color graphic.  The featured CTMH colors are Buttercup, Honey and Sunset however you may use a similar color if you don't have any of the CTMH colors.

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

:) Marie

Use it Tuesday #48 Warm it Up with Freshly Made Sketch #70

The focus of the Use it Tuesday challenge blog is to use your stash and I certainly have accumulated a lot of "stash".  I combined a new stamp "Cozy Cat" (my absolutely favorite!) along with the new paper (cat's pillow) from "Chantilly" which will be available to order from Close To My Heart this Friday, Feb. 1.  The other 6 elements I've had in my stash for quite awhile (Burlap Ribbon, Chocolate CS, Sunset CS, Victorian Buttercup B&T paper (retired), Cranberry B&T paper (retired) and Dotty for You--also retired.  The greeting "You Make Me Smile" is from Hooray Bouquet.  The focus of the Use it Tuesday #48 challenge this week is to use warm colors such as yellow, orange and red.  I followed the Freshly Made Sketch #70--I love their clean lined sketches and play along with them as much as I can.  Some extra embellishments I used were Stardust Glitz Glitter Gel, Bronze Glitz Glitter Gel, Silver Glitz Glitter Gel and 3D FoamTape.

 

Here is the Freshly Made Sketch I followed (flipping the pattern to fit in with the direction the cat is facing.) :

I am also entering this card into Send a Smile for Kids Challenge Anything Goes.

If you are looking for a good color challenge try using these 3 shades of green at

 

Color My Heart Color Dare:

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