Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge #209 Meets Cut it Up #120 Music Challenge

Welcome back to another Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge blog post!  This week's sketch is pretty unique and an idea didn't come to me until I saw the Music theme at Cut it Up this week.  My images were cut with the help of the Cricut Explore, Design Space and the Cindy Loo and Quarter Note cricut cartridges.

The sentiment "Music is the strongest form of MAGIC" was written with a silver metallic cricut pen. The violin was chosen as my son plays it masterfully.

Products used:
     Silver metallic paper by the Paper Cut
     Brown metallic paper by the Paper Cut
     La Vie En Rose paper--retired Close to My Heart
     Stoneware Texture stamp--retired CTMH
     White Daisy CS--CTMH
     Ruby CS--CTMH
     Whisper Ink--CTMH
     Cindy Loo cricut cartridge--floral frame panel
     Quarter Note cricut cartridge--violin, music notes

Here is the fabulous sketch that inspired my card:

We hope you find the time to create using this special sketch this week.  You can link it up here.

I'm submitting this card to the following challenges:
     Cut it Up #120--Music
     Inspiration Destination--Anything Goes
     Glitter and Sparkle--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. 
     
     
     

Fantabulous Cricut Challenge #260--Project for a Kid

This week at the Fantabulous Cricut Challenge Blog we are asking you to make something for a kid.  Our sponsor this week is Bugaboo stamps who is offering 7 digital images to the winner.

My birthday card was cut using the Close to My Heart Artfully Sent cartridge:

Close to My Heart products used:

     Artfully Sent cartridge (page 28 Scene and Scene Shift cut at 5.5")

     Sapphire CS

     Metallic CS (retired)

     

Other products:

     Perfect Pearls Mist--Perfect Pearl

This card was so easy to make!  The most challenging part was masking off parts that I did not want to cover with the Perfect Pearls Mist!

I will also be entering this card into the Seize the Birthday challenge for Anything Goes.

Please come on over to the Fantabulous Cricut Challenge blog to check out what the rest of the fabulous Design Team has to share with you.  We would love to have you join in the challenge which will end Sunday, September 27.

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

Personalized Birthday Gift Cards for Joyful Hearts Blog Hop

It's an exciting time to be a Close to My Heart consultant and be able to share some wonderful new products from the new Annual Inspirations catalog!  Joyful Stars is a group of CTMH consultants who share in a monthly blog hop.  If you are coming from Crystal Davis' blog you are on the right track.  (If you get "lost" along the way visit Joyce's blog for the complete lineup.)

My twin nieces turned 14 last week so I made them similar cards in their favorite colors.  I used the Artiste cartridge to make the basic gift card holders and the new Artistry cartridge for the Happy Birthday decoration. I programmed my Cricut Explore to draw the Artistry Happy Birthday image instead of cutting it.  The names were written with the Art Philosophy font and then colored in with markers.

Here is what the gift card looks like inside:

Close to My Heart products used:

     Pixie CS

     Pixie Ink

     Thistle CS

     White Daisy CS

     Artiste Cartridge

     Artistry Cartridge

     Card Chatter--Birthday (retired)

     Happy Everything (retired)

     Silver Metallic paper (retired)

Other products:

    Cricut Explore Silver Metallic Marker

    Cricut Explore Pink Crystal Marker

    Cricut Explore Black Marker

    Purple Metallic paper from recycled gift bag

Next on our blog hop tour is Helen Gullett.  I'm sure you will like what she has to share!  Thanks for stopping by!  Have a wonderful week filled with fun and creativity!

:) Marie

Atlantic Hearts Sketch #116 Meets Pals Paper Arts Challenge #259

Welcome back to another Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge blog post!  Here is the sketch:

Here is my card:

Here is the color palette I used from Pals Paper Arts #259:

Although it may be difficult to see the scalloped border is actually silver foil CS.  I created the border in Design Space using Close to My Hearts Artbooking cartridge.  You can use my cut file here.  The joined hearts are a cut from Gypsy Wanderings which was actually a group of 4 that I trimmed down.

Close to My Heart products used:

     Artbooking cartridge

     White Daisy CS

     Tulip CS (retired)

     Moonstruck CS (retired)

     Say it in Style stamp (retired)

     Moonstruck ink

     Metallic Silver CS (retired)

Other products:

     Gypsy Wanderings heart border image

We would love to see what you can create using the above sketch. Please check out what the other fabulous Design Team members have to share and link up your creations here.

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

:) Marie

Glittered Peacock Feathers With Freshly Made Sketch #182

Here is a quick card that I made using Freshly Made Sketch #182.  I love the simplicity of this design!

Although it may appear that the background paper is black, it is actually silver foil reflective paper which is difficult to photograph.

Close to My Heart products used:

     Metallic CS (retired)

     Gypsy CS

     Lagoon CS

     Belated Birthday stamp

    Gypsy Ink

    3D Foam Tape

Other products:

    Peacock Feather Glitter paper by Recollections

Here is the fabulous sketch I followed:

    

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

:) Marie

Silver Ornaments and Blue for Merry Monday Christmas Challenge #134

If you are looking for the Color My Heart Color Dare challenge post please go here.

This Christmas card was inspired by this week's Merry Monday Christmas Challenge #134.  The challenge is to use Blue, Ornaments and Silver/Grey.

This card came together very quickly using the Artbooking cartridge!

Close To My Heart products used:

     Pacifica CS

     Holiday Tags

     Pacifica Ink

     Artbooking Cricut Cartridge (pg. 75 overlay shift cut at 5.5")

     Silver Metallic paper (retired)

     3D Foam Tape

Here is the Merry Monday challenge graphic:

I strongly encourage you to check out this challenge--the Design Team did an awesome job and the work of the challenge participants is outstanding!  You will be inspired!

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

:) Marie

Snowflake Swirls Tutorial for Merry Monday #97 Challenge

Sparkle and Shine with Aqua, White and Silver/Grey is the theme for Merry Monday #97.  This challenge gave me the opportunity to try out a technique with Gelatos, Gesso and Dry Embossing to create the background for my card.

Here is a slanted view so you can see the silver metallic beauty:

How did I do it?  First I used a sponge brush to cover White Daisy CS with a thin coat of Gesso.  I let it dry for an hour and then used my heat tool to complete the job.  Then I spritzed the paper with water and scribbled with Cotton Candy and Silver Ice Gelatos.  I used my fingers to spread out the colors.

Next I heat dried this piece before running it through my Cuttlebug machine with the Darice Snowflake Swirls Embossing folder.

Then I used a "wet wipe" to gently remove some of the color from the raised parts of the CS.  (You can see this in the finished card).

Here is a photo of some of the art supplies I used to create this card:

Supplies Used:

      White Daisy CS

      Cotton Candy and Silver Ice Gelatos by Faber Castell

      Silver Metallic CS (retired D.O.T.S.)

      Christmas Melodies stamp (retired Close To My Heart)

      Versamark Ink

      Silver Embossing Powder (retired Close To My Heart)

      Snowflake Swirls Embossing Folder by Darice

      Twinkle Brads (retired Close To My Heart)

      Glitter Ribbon by Celebrate It!

      3D Foam Tape

It was fun to try out a new background technique and I really like how this card turned out.  I can't wait to try it out with more than 2 colors!

I'm also entering this card into http://52cct.blogspot.com/2014/02/metallic-papers-challenge.html52 Christmas Card Throwdown Challenge to use metallic papers and Addicted to Stamps and More for a Clean and Simple card.

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

:) Marie

Gelato Pattern for Pals Paper Arts Color Challenge #191 and Seize the Birthday

The color challenge at Pals Paper Arts this week is Gumball Green, Pumpkin Pie and Whisper White.  I decided to use a Plaid stencil and Lime and Tangerine Gelatos by Faber-Castell to create a block pattern for this card.

Close To My Heart products used:

     Clover Meadow CS (retired)

     4 My Friend Stamp (retired)

     Laughing Lola Cardmaking Kit Stamp

     Clover Meadow Ink (retired)

     Silver Metallic Paper (retired)

     Gelatos by Faber Castell

     stencil by Plaid

Here is the Pals Paper Arts Color Graphic;

If you like participating in color challenges I encourage you to play along with Color My Heart Color Dare. We have weekly blog badges that are awarded and a monthly prize to give out.

I'm also linking this card up to Seize the Birthday this week.

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

:) Marie

     

Color Challenge Time at Sunday Stamps

Welcome back to another Sunday Stamps Color Challenge!  This fortnight we are featuring the colors Midnight Muse, Strawberry Slush and Silver.

My card was made following the Repeat Impressions What If Wednesday Sketch #J184  using Close To My Heart colors Outdoor Denim, Hollyhock and retired Silver metallic paper.  After I pieced my card front together I ran it through the Cuttlebug machine to emboss it with a Darice Snowflake Swirl folder.  The penguin is from Wintry Wishes which is a Close To My Heart Hostess Reward available through the end of this month (see page 9 of current Idea Book).  Outdoor Denim ink was used along with a Hollyhock marker to color the hat and scarf and a Slate marker to color in the skates.  The flourished square with circle opening was cut from the Art Philosophy cartridge (page 53 Square 4 at 2.25")

Here is a second version that I made with a slightly different orientation and a Cuttlebug Snowflake folder:

 

 Which do you like better?

 

 We can't wait to see what you create using these colors!   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 color graphic too to let your readers know about our challenge.)  You have until Friday, January 24 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

 .

 

Colour Me...! Challenge #1 with Try Stampin' on Tuesday Sketch #149

Happy 2014!  As I was reading my blog list the other day I found a new color challenge blog cocreated by a fellow Sunday Stamps Design Team member, Hayley Kew so I had to join in!  Congrats to Hayley and the rest of the Colour Me...! Team for a great looking blog and place to play along.  This week's challenge is to use just Island Indigo with neutrals.

 I substituted Close To My Heart Pacifica along with White Daisy and Silver Metallic paper (retired DOTS).  The Pacifica CS was run through the Cuttlebug machine with a Happy Birthday folder and then distressed with a sanding block to expose the white core.  The line of embellished dots was made with a pencil eraser dipped into Pacifica ink and then dotted with White Liquid Pearls.  Don't they look like they could be sequins?

Here is the Try Stampin' on Tuesday sketch #149 that I used to make this card:

The extra challenge for this sketch is to "Sparkle it Up" which I did by using silver metallic paper and Liquid Pearl dots.

Here is the graphic for the new Colour Me...! challenge blog.  Come join me in playing there!

I'm also entering this card into Hiding in My Craft Room--Anything But Holiday and KIS-challenge--Anything Goes.

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

:) Marie

Bright All Night for Freshly Made Sketches #116

This card was stamped in just one color--Close To My Heart Outdoor Denim.  The central image is Quick Cards --Bright All Night which is an exclusive Hostess Reward stamp.  It is backed with old Metallic Silver paper by Close To My Heart.  The flags were stamped from Laughing Lola Cardmaking Kit. The thin border was drawn with a Silver Metallic Marker and a CTMH ruler.

My inspiration came from Freshly Made Sketch #116:

I'm also entering this card into 52 Christmas Card Throwdown--choose a previous challenge from 2013.  My card fits into Combo #22 No Red or Green.  

and Less is More #149-- Metallic with one other color (metallic silver mat and marker)

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

:) Marie