Fantabulous Cricut Challenge #296--Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Welcome back to another Fantabulous Cricut Challenge blog post!  This fortnight we are inviting you to share your St. Patrick's Day Cricut projects with us.  We are being sponsored by Dreaming Tree.

The flourish label is from the Creative Cards cartridge and the paper color is Saffron from the Enchantment Fundamentals paper. The sentiment was drawn with the Flower Market font and a Cricut black pen.  It was later filled in with a Topiary Marker (retired Close to My Heart).  The patterned paper is from Topiary B & T Paper (retired Close to My Heart).  The multilayered shamrocks are from the Flower Market cartridge.  The shamrocks and Saffron circles beneath them were painted with the CTMH Gold Shimmer Brush.

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

     The Paper Players--Theme--Cut it out 

     Crafting by Design--Anything Goes Spring Edition

     Addicted to Stamps and More--Anything Goes

Challenge #296-St. Patricks Day
Make a project about St. Patricks Day, such as Shamrocks or Leprechauns

This Weeks Sponsor



Dreaming Tree SVG's

The winner will receive a $20 Gift Certificate!

To qualify for the prize, be sure to use at least 1 Cricut cut on your project and if it's not obvious, let us know what cartridge you used. If you use a Cricut Explore machine, at least one cut must be from the Cricut catalog of images.

If it isn't a card, you will get two entries into the drawing!

Please head on over to the Fantabulous Cricut Challenge blog to 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 

Color Dare #233 Meets Freshly Made Sketch #277

Welcome back to another Color My Heart Color Dare challenge blog post!  This week we have just 5 colors--Black, White Daisy, Pomegranate, Peacock and Sea Glass.  The challenge is to create something using only these listed colors and all of the listed colors. (Of course if you don't have these exclusive Close to My Heart colors yet you may substitute similar colors so you can still play along).

My card features small scraps of each of these colors glued on to an Anna Griffin cuttlebug folder.  

Close to My Heart products used:

      White Daisy CS

      Sea Glass CS

      Black CS

      Sugar Rush paper (Pomegranate and Sea Glass                 patterns)

      Swan Lake paper (Peacock pattern--retired paper               pack)

      Pomegranate CS

      Happy Belated Birthday (retired)

      Happy to Be Friends (tiny flower)

      Peacock Ink

      Pomegranate Ink

Here is the Freshly Made Sketch that inspired my layout:

I'm also entering this into the Scrappin' 4 Fun challenge--Boys, Masculine theme.  

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

Tea-rific Card for Stamp of the Month Blog Hop

Welcome to our Stamp of the Month Blog Hop!  We will be featuring March's SOTM, which is Tea-rrific, a set of 11 stamps.  If you have come here from Krista Hershberger's blog, you are on the right path! The blog hop is a great big circle, so you can start here and work your way all around.  If you get lost along the way, you’ll find the complete list of participating consultants on Melinda’s Blog:  http://ifyoublingit.blogspot.com/p/stamp-of-month-blog-hop-list.html. 

This month we have 30 Close To My Heart Consultants sharing their creations using this month's SOTM and other great CTMH products on their blogs. This is simple to do - just click on the link at the end of the post on each blog to move to the next one! Here we go!

One of the teacups has a Happy Mother's Day greeting in it so I decided to be 2 months early in remembering this special occasion. (But will I be able to locate it when it's time to send it?)

Close to My Heart products used:

     Colonial White CS

     Sea Glass CS

     New England Ivy CS

     Sorbet CS
     Simple Chevron Embossing Folder

     Hello Lovely paper

     Sorbet Ink

     Dreamin' Big Sequins

     Bitty Sparkles

     Blush Ribbon

     3D Foam Tape

My card layout was inspired by this Try Stampin' on Tuesday sketch #310:  

I'm also entering this card into the Addicted to Stamps and More "Anything Goes" challenge.

Now "Hop" on over to Sheila Bennett's blog to see her work! Be sure to visit all the Consultants at their Blogs to get some great crafting ideas and other fun ideas! Remember, the March SOTM is only available until March 31!  Contact your CTMH Consultant (or click here) to see how you can get this stamp set at a discount!

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

:) Marie

Flower Market Sailboat Card for Freshly Made Sketch #276

My Navy son is having a birthday next week so I thought he would appreciate this sailboat birthday card.  I followed Freshly Made Sketch #276.

After I took this picture I was inspired to add a little Meridian Blue Twinkling H2O watercolor paint to make the sentiment stand out more.  I'm not sure which one I prefer--which do you like better?

Close to My Heart products used:

     Flower Market Cricut cartridge

     Regatta paper (retired)

     Pomegranate CS

     Cashmere CS

     Outdoor Denim marker (retired) to color flag

     Sky CS (retired)

     Hello Paradise wave stamp (retired)

     Birthday Sparkles stamp

     Ranger White Embossing Powder

     Versamark Ink

     3D Foam Tape

Here is the fabulous sketch I followed:

   

Other challenges entered:

     Seize the Birthday--Inlay Die cuts optional

     Inspiration Destination #122--Anything Goes

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

:) Marie

     

     

Happy Everything Card for Atlantic Hearts Sketch #201

Welcome back to another Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge blog post!  This is challenge #201 and we look forward to seeing how you interpret this great sketch.  Although flowers are pictured in the sketch you can change them to any element that you wish!  I have always been a fan of Smiley faces and recently found them for Free in Design Space from the Feelin' Groovy cartridge.  Here is my cut file if you wish to replicate this card layout.

Close to My Heart products used:

     Lagoon CS

     Lemon CS

     Black CS

     Way to Go stamp set 

     Sapphire Ink

     3D Foam Tape

Other products:

    Feelin' Groovy cartridge

    Blue Holographic Curling Ribbon

Here is the fabulous Atlantic Hearts Sketch #201 to inspire your creativity:

Please stop by on Wednesday to see what the rest of the awesome Design Team has to share.  We hope you find the time to play along with us this week!

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

Color Dare #232 Meets Sketch Saturday #451

Welcome back to another Color My Heart Color Dare challenge blog post!  It's a four color challenge this week--use all and only these exclusive Close to My Heart colors:  Fern, Sapphire, White Daisy and Lemon.  As usual if you don't have these CTMH colors yet you may substitute similar colors so you can still join in on the fun!



I really love how these colors look together and ended up with 2 fun cards made with the Happy Birthday Thin Cut.  First I ran a 4.25" x 5.5" piece of White Daisy through my Xyron machine and then placed strips of Fern, Lemon and Sapphire right onto the adhesive.  Next I lined up the Happy Birthday Thin Cuts and used small pieces of washi tape to lightly adhere it to the striped panel before running it through the Big Shot machine.  I also cut the sentiment out of thin craft foam to pop up the sentiment on the first card.  The small confetti stamp from the Wise Guy Birthday card was stamped in Lemon over the white background.  I added some Blue and Green Epoxy Bubbles and White Sequins from Calypso sequins to the card fronts for finishing.

Here are close up pictures so you can see the sparkly Clear Shimmer Brush on the sentiments.

Close to My Heart products used:
     White Daisy CS
     Fern CS
     Lemon CS
     Sapphire CS
     Happy Birthday Thin Cuts
     Wise Guy Birthday stamp set
     Lemon Ink
     Clear Shimmer Brush
     Green and Blue Epoxy Bubbles (retired)
     Calypso Sequins (retired)

Other products:
     Thin White Craft Foam
     White Ric Rac Ribbon

Here is the Color My Heart Color Dare graphic that sparked my color creativity:

     
Stop by the Color Dare challenge blog and check out what the rest of the fabulous Design Team has to inspire you.  You'll be amazed--we all started with the same 4 colors and created such unique cards.

Saturday Sketch challenge was also a big inspiration to creating these cards: 

 

Other challenges:
     Double D challenge--Ric Rac
     Paper Shelter--Masculine 
     Stampin' Royalty--Dies
     Seize the Birthday--Inlay Die-cutting option
     Ooh La La Creations--Die Cuts
     Cut it Up--Birthday

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

Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge #200

Welcome back to another Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge blog post!  This is such a wonderful sketch and my card came to me really quickly.  The diamond overlay was cut with the CTMH Artbooking cartridge.  The sentiment was cut with a Thin Cut die and then dipped in Versamark ink and Clear Embossing Powder to give it a little glossy sparkle.

Close to My Heart products used:
     Artbooking cricut cartridge
     Blossom CS
     Sapphire CS
     White Daisy CS
     Adventure Paper Fundamentals (Raspberry)
     Hello and Thanks Thin Cut Die
     Versamark Ink
     Clear Embossing Powder

Here is the wonderful Atlantic Hearts Sketch that inspired my card:
  

We would love to have you play along with this sketch and share your creation with us at AHSC.  

I'm also entering my card into the following challenges:
     Crafty Cardmakers #182--Add Texture
     Ooh La La Creations #222--Add a Diecut
     Paper Players #332--Sentiment as Focal Point
     Inspiration Destination--Anything Goes
     Die Cut Divas--use Red or Pink

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

Shimmering Artbooking Heart Overlay Valentine Card

Don't you just love sparkling, shimmering cards? Well, I do and I had so much fun creating this Valentine's Day card.  The heart overlay is from the Close to My Heart Artbooking cartridge which was then painted with Hot Cinnamon Twinkling H2O Shimmering Mica watercolor paints and adhered to Recollections White Gold Shimmer cardstock.  

Close to My Heart Products used:     

     Artbooking Cartridge     

     Beloved Bouquet stamp (retired CTMH)

     Blossom CS

     Tulip Ink (retired Ink)

     3D Foam Tape

Other products:

     Recollections White Gold Shimmer Cardstock

     Hot Cinnamon Twinkling H2O Shimmering Mica   Watercolor 

Challenges:

     Bitten by the Bug--Red and White

     Make My Monday--Shimmer and Shine

     Making Memories Crafting--Valentine or red

     Simply Create Too--Love

     Craftaholics R Us--Love, Romance

     Die Cut Divas--Red or Pink

     Scrapnchallenge--Hearts

     Cardz 4 Guys--no patterned paper

This was my last Valentine's Day card for 2017!

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

:) Marie

Hello Lovely Birthday Card for Color Dare #231

Welcome back to another Color My Heart Color Dare challenge blog post!  This week we are challenging you to use all and only the colors from the Close to My Heart "Hello Lovely" paper pack.  (Well if 8 colors is too much of a challenge just use as many as you can.)  Of course if you don't have these exclusive CTMH colors yet just substitute similar colors so you can still join in on the fun.

The focal image flowers were fussy cut from one of the Hello Lovely patterned papers.  Here is a closeup so you can see how sparkly the Clear Shimmer Brush really is:

Close to My Heart products used:

     Hello Lovely paper

     Colonial White CS

     Sea Glass CS

     Sorbet CS

     Sorbet Ink

     Fern CS

     Whisper patterned paper from Sugar Rush paper 

           packet

     3D Foam Tape

     Clear Shimmer Brush

     White and Gold Ribbon

     Happy Birthday stamp from the Artfully Sent                      Cricut collection

Here is the Color Dare challenge graphic.  Just click on it to be inspired by what the rest of the Design Team has to share.  We hope you'll be able to find the time to play along with.

My card layout was inspired by this Try Stampin' on Tuesday sketch.

Other challenges this card is being linked to:

     Seize the Birthday--Inlay Die Cutting Optional

     Between the Folds--Hello Lovely paper packet

     Sunny Day Crafting--Optional Diecuts

     Inspiration Destination #122--Anything Goes

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

:) Marie

      

     

Shimmering Drum Set Birthday Card

My grandson will be 7 soon and has just started taking drum lessons--thus the inspiration for my card.

Products used:

     Cricut--Quarter Note cartridge

     Art Philosophy Cricut cartridge (CTMH)--writing

     White Daisy CS

     Silver Metallic CS (retired Close to My Heart)

     Sapphire CS (CTMH)

     Champagne CS  (CTMH)

     Tulip CS (retired CTMH)

     Red shiny paper from DCWV Christmas Glittered             & Textured Paper Pack

     Cricut Silver Pen

Here is the Paper Play Sketch that inspired my card layout:

  

Other challenges entered with this card:

      Male Room #53 Challenge--use a number

      Make My Monday--Shimmer and Shine

      Seize the Birthday--Optional Felt

      Cardz 4 Guys--No Patterned Paper

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

:) Marie

      

     

Valentine Cards

Creating pretty Valentine's Day cards is so easy with Design Space and Cricut Explore.  Here are a sampling of cards I've created recently using a free image from Design Space this week.

Twinkling H2O paints were used to create a colorful background for this card:

Products used:

      Cricut Explore Design Space--Valentine's Day                     Card #18--FREE

      Tulip CS (retired CTMH)

      Blush CS (retired CTMH)

      Recollections Shimmer CS--White Gold

      Just to Say Stamp Set from Artfully Sent (retired                CTMH)

      Black CS

      Beloved Bouquet stamp (retired CTMH)

      Mulberry Star embossing powder from Sparkle 'n              Sprinkle.

I'm entering these cards into the following challenges:

     Crafting by Designs--Love and Romance

     Come and Get It--Love is in the Air

     All Sorts--Hearts or Flowers

     Make My Monday--Shimmer and Shine

     Pile it On--Hearts on Fire

     Cards in Envy--Valentine

     Through the Purple Haze--Valentine/Love

     Crafting From the Heart--#146

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

:) Marie

Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge #199

 

We have a wonderful sketch for you to try this week at Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge!  This is a sketch I will be using often.  My card features papers from the Close to My Heart Enchantment Paper Fundamentals packet.

Close to My Heart products used:
     Whisper CS
     Enchantment Paper Fundamentals
     Wise Guy Birthday
     Saffron CS
     Sapphire Ink
   
Other
     Blue Highlighter

Here is the fabulous Atlantic Hearts Sketch that I followed:

      

Challenges entered:
     Seize the Birthday--Optional Felt
     Sunny Day Crafting--Anything Goes
     Inspiration Destination--Anythinng goes

Please head on over to the Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge blog.  We would love to see what you can create with this sketch.

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

Color Dare #230 Meets Mojo Monday #483

Welcome back to another Color My Heart Color Dare challenge blog post!  This week we are challenging you to create something using all and only the following exclusive Close to My Heart colors:  Pixie, Saffron, Whisper and White Daisy.  (Of course if you don't have these CTMH colors yet you may substitute similar colors so you can still join in on the fun!)  I must admit that I struggled with this challenge as Saffron is my least favorite CTMH yellow, but I minimized its presence on my card which I am satisfied with.

Close to My Heart products used:

     Pixie CS

     White Daisy CS

     Whisper CS

     Flower Market Cricut cartridge--typewriter and                 circles

     Charming Cascades stamps

     Saffron Ink

     Typed Note stamp set--retired (Happy Birthday)

     Vine Embossing folder

     White and Gold Ribbon

     Whimsy Paper Fundamentals--Dotted pattern

     3D Foam Tape

My card layout was inspired by this Mojo Monday sketch:

     

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

     Between the Folds--use Ribbon

     Seize the Birthday--optional--Felt

     As You Like it Challenge--Ribbon or Lace (I much           prefer Ribbon--it's easier to attach)

Now head on over to the Color My Heart Color Dare blog to check out what the rest of the awesome Design Team has to inspire you.  Just click on the Color Dare graphic to get there.

We hope you will take the Color Dare challenge this week.  We look forward to visiting your blogs (or Facebook or Pinterest posts) to be inspired by your creativity!

Thanks for stopping by!  Have a wonderful week!

:) Marie

Sugar Rush Card for Joyful Stars February Blog Hop

Welcome back to the February Joyful Stars Blog Hop! We are a group of Close to My Heart consultants who share something each month on the 9th and at 9PM EST. If you are coming from Krista Hershberger's blog you are on the right track. (The complete lineup is also on Joyce's blog in case you get lost.) Have fun being inspired!

My card came to me fairly quickly as I was going through my Sugar Rush paper pack. I chose to cut out one of the PML cards and feature it on the front of my card--no inking at all!

The sentiment inside my card was created with the CTMH Flower Market cartridge and Design Space.

Close to My Heart products used:

     Sea Glass CS

     Pomegranate CS

     Sugar Rush paper

     Canary CS

     Blossom CS

     Flower Market Cricut Cartridge

     Clear Shimmer Brush

     Simple Chevron Embossing Folder

Other:

     Cricut Silver Metallic Pen

My card layout was inspired by Freshly Made Sketch #274:

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

     Sunny Day Crafting--Box Cards or Regular Cards

     Inspiration Destination--Anything Goes

Now it's time to hop on over to my friend Jennifer Benner's blog.  I'm sure you'll be inspired by what she shares.

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

:) Marie

p.s. Stop by tomorrow to see what I'll have for the new challenge at Color My Heart Color Dare blog--a challenge blog featuring Close to My Heart exclusive colors.

     

Fantabulous Cricut Challenge #294--Valentines

Welcome back to another Fantabulous Cricut Challenge blog post!  This fortnight we are challenging you to take out your Cricut machine and create something for Valentine's Day.  My cards were made with a Free Valentine's Cut in Design Space.

Weeks ago I was playing with newly acquired Brushos and created several panels for future use. They make an interesting background for the bold Cricut cutouts.

After I made the above card I still had some wonderful pieces left on my cutting mat so I put them to good use by making a second card. 

 

Which card do you like better?

Products used:

      White Daisy CS 

      Watercolor Paper

      Brushos-- Ultramarine, Brilliant Red, Yellow

      Holiday Red paper--retired Close to My Heart

      Silver Shimmer Trim

Please head over to the Fantabulous Cricut Challenge blog to check out what the rest of the fabulous Design Team has to inspire you.

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

      Bitten by the Bug--Valentine's Day

      Scrappin 4 Fun Challenges--Friends, Love, Valentines

      Paper Players--Valentines

      House of Cards--Love

      Cardz 4 Gals--Love is in the Air

      Craftholics R Us--Love, Romance 

      Pile it on--Hearts on Fire 

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

:) Marie