Favorite Stamp Set

In my previous post I shared with you some of my favorite products from the new Annual Idea Book. Of course its far too difficult to choose only one, especially when it comes to the stamp sets. However, I did find a couple of sets that are beautiful and very clever! These are the Beautiful You and Thoughtful Bird stamps. They are found on pages 76 and 77 of the book. They have a three step process that adds gorgeous layers and depth of color. Plus, they come with coordinating thin cuts making the entire stamping and cutting process super simple! Here is a card I made with the Beautiful You stamp.

Oh goodness! Aren't those flowers gorgeous! I paired them with the Basics Fundamentals papers and some gold embellishments. The pink colors include the new Bashful, Pixie and Raspberry. Here is the stamp and some more artwork from the Idea Book.

The other stamp set features a bird that can be stamped in a variety of colors. It contains some everyday, heartfelt sentiments.

The bird looks beautiful in blue, but can you imagine him in other colors, perhaps reds and yellows!?
These are just a few stamps that really caught my attention and I'm certain you will find many that capture your eye as well! These are available to order now, shop online anytime!

Hello Unicorns

Despite my lack in posts here on the Blog, I must reassure you that I am making time to play in my craft room. Especially now with the big Stampaganza sale happening! Some of my favorite stamps are simply sayings or sentiments. They can convey your message on a card or show emotion to a scrapbooking page. Close To My Heart has several stamp sets with some traditional sentiments and some very trending, popular sayings. This month is the perfect time to stock up on your favorites! Here is just a cute card I created using the Dreamin' Big papers, a few embellishments and a thin cut. The perfect sentiment can be found on the inside of the card.

This greeting on the inside was made up of 2 different sentiment stamps, so go ahead and mix it up!

I posted the front of this card on Instagram a few days ago. If you are not on Instagram, I recommend that you join, its a ton of inspiration. If not, you can always click on the camera/Instagram logo on the right of my blog just under my profile. It will take you to my page. There you will find more artwork posted regularly and in most cases before I get it on my Blog.

 go check it out now ----------->

Don't forget to save big this month on the stamp sale. Buy 2 Get One FREE! shop online

Thankful Fox

Time for a little thanks from another Woodland Critter. This time its a cute little fox! Again I've used the Swan Lake papers and stamped a few of the leaf images from the Stamp of the Month, Blessed Beyond Measure.

All of these products are available to order now. Some are limited though so don't wait too long!

My Anchor

The Regatta papers in the Seasonal Expressions Idea Book are so good and the coordinating stamp sets are fantastic! I've combined several patterns of the Regatta paper with the adorable anchor image for this card. I added some kraft cardstock and stamped the little boat image for interest.

I love the sentiment, "You are my anchor"! These papers and stamps from the SE Idea Book will only be available until the end of April. Place your order soon so you don't miss the boat!

Make a Splash!

This little crab is making a splash on the Freshly Make Sketches Blog and the Heart 2 Heart Challenges Blog this week. I have used the adorable crab from the Beach Days stamp set (D1684) for the sketch on FMS this week and used the colors for the color challenge on H2H. The colors were black, white and red so Mr. Crab was just perfect for the color scheme as were the La Vie En Rose papers. I liked that the sketch was pretty open for playing with images in the space at the upper left side of the card. I also liked the little piece of chevron paper to fill in that little peek-a-boo space in the sketch.

Be sure to check out the FMS and H2H blogs for more information! Have a fun weekend!

Do Mondays Make You Crabby?

This post is for all of those that feel a little crabby on Monday's! I think for me it starts with a forced early morning wake up call, a shortened coffee time and the hustle to get ready and out the door on time!

This cute crab has been brought to you by: Beach Days My Acrylix stamp set (D1684), Cricut Artistry and Regatta Papers. {All new products found in the Seasonal Expressions 1 Idea Book.}

I hope this adorable crab made you smile, on this lovely day we call Monday!

Stuck on You

I love all the recent artwork lately with images of cactus. Living in the Southwest all my life, I've grown to love the desert and all it's beauty. Just last weekend I was talking to my husband about how lovely it is to look out across the vast desert of cactus and Joshua trees as the towering purple mountains lie in the backdrop. Especially since some peaks are dusted with just a bit of snow right now, it's my favorite! 

Close To My Heart made it even easier to create these cactus works of art with their Stuck on You stamp set and coordinating Thin Cuts. I'd like to share a few cards that I have been experimenting with. Here is just one for today that is pretty simple and straight forward. It makes me think of the warmer Spring days in the desert, no more snow-capped mountains in the background when the cactus are in bloom!

I cut out the images first with the Thin Cuts and a Big Shot embossing machine. I used watercolor paper as I knew that I wanted to color in the images. Then I simply lined up the stamp over the cut paper. I colored in with water paints and placed them on my card creating a scene.

Here is some artwork from the Seasonal Expressions Idea Book. I will share some more cards I created in the coming week!

 You can create you own cactus art by ordering the stamp set and Thin Cuts here.

Hello Little Lovely Flower Jar

I have been fascinated for quite some time with mason jar crafts. From food gifts to home lighting, even scrapbook projects, these jars have endless possibility! You can imagine how happy I was to see a mason jar with flowers on the new Artistry cartridge. It is just adorable and so easy to size and cut out.

For this card I was inspired by some colors I saw recently on a shopping excursion. I'm especially fascinated with the hints of gold with these coral and mint colors. Many of us have also found an interest in painting, particularly a spray or splat of paint on our projects. For this card though I practically cheated on the splats as I used the nifty Ink Blot {D1660} stamp set found in the new Annual Inspirations book. I am entering this card on Heart 2 Heart Challenges this week for their "Splat" theme!

Close up of the splats! 

There's that awesome "hello" sentiment again! Don't forget that you can get the amazing National Stamping Month sets at a discounted price when you buy all three. They will only be available this month, special ends September 30th.

Life is Wonderful Together

I made this card quite some time ago for my cousin who was getting married. My card was inspired by the colors and earthy feel of her invitation. I never remember to use that burlap ribbon more often, I just love it!

I used the big frame included on the stamp along with a couple phrases and the arrow. I hand cut the "wonderful" to make it pop off rather than blending with the surrounding frame.

Life is Wonderful, especially when you can get a stamp set for free. Don't forget about the monthly special, check out the current specials tab at the top.

Birthday Balloons Typed Note

Another Typed Note card for you today. This awesome Stamp of the Month will be available at a discounted price in just 5 days!! I used the sketch at Freshly Made Sketches this week and cut some balloons on the Cricut to add to the Birthday theme.

So many good things are coming April 1st! Visit back here soon to see all the specials and new products.

Watercolor Butterfly

Last week I decided to get out some really old watercolor paper. I wanted to experiment with some water coloring using our stamps and re-inkers. After a couple attempts I liked one of the images and created a card with it.

I am submitting this card to Heart 2 Heart Challenges this week for their "green with envy" theme! Be sure to stop by their blog to see all the fabulous green artwork! I chose to feature Pear for my green! It's so bright and happy!

To make the butterfly I lightly misted my watercolor paper with water. Then I put a few drops of Lagoon and Pear re-inker on a plastic saucer and gently mixed them so they were touching. Then I stamped the butterfly image in the ink and stamped it on the watercolor paper. The inks will bleed into the paper. I then dried it with my heat tool. Lastly, I stamped the butterfly in black ink and cut it out.

I'm sure there are all sorts of ways to achieve a "watercolor look". I was simply just playing and experimenting and I suggest that you try whatever you like. Who know what you'll discover and the best part is you'll have fun!

Think Pink Bicycle

The challenge this week on Heart 2 Heart Challenges is to think pink!! What is your favorite Close To My Heart pink? This could certainly be a tough choice. CTMH offers a wonderful variety of pink hues, but my favorite has to be Cotton Candy.

I choose this color in my clothing too, even down to my saucony running shoes. My beach cruiser is even this color. I think that is why I love this card so much! This pop up bicycle card is made from the Artfully Sent Cricut cartridge. I added in some banners and clouds to the inside of the card. On the outside I used some polka dot Washi tape and glitter paper.

For the outside of the card I cut a PML card on the cartridge to fit the 5x7 base. I layered some glitter paper behind the image to make the bike pop! Just a few banners and embellishments finished the front.

As you open the card the bicycle pops out in the center. I also popped the little cloud and the bike and banners were cut on fundamentals paper giving them a little bit of a shiny texture.

Too much pink you think?!! Yeah....I don't think so either!

Fall in Love With Ice Cream

With all of this warm weather right now I have cravings for Ice Cream! That was my inspiration for this clean and simple card for the sketch at Freshly Made Sketches this week.

I did a colorful chevron stamp and a zip strip from the For Always paper as the belly band. I thought the sentiment was pretty funny, "every time I see you, I fall in love all over again"! Yeah, it's like that!! How adorable is that ice cream truck? Finally some little heart puffies finishes off the card perfectly!

Old is New for H2H

It's a new year and all new challenges at Heart 2 Heart Challenges Blog. They are kicking off the year with an Old is New challenge. I think the majority of us can admit to hoarding certain products in our stash. This is a great challenge to bring those stamps or papers back into the light and get some use out of them!

I saved my project to post today, because I feel it's perfect for a Throw Back Thursday! My old item is the You Rock papers and Rockin' Top Coats. Do you remember this collection? I had to look back through old Idea Books to recall when it was first released. Can you believe it was in the Spring 2010 book! That's 5 years ago now, yikes! I made it new again with a fresh, awesome You're the Bomb stamp set!

Rockin' Top Coats

Check out that old Outdoor Denim twill ribbon!

This guitar top coat is totally radical, no wonder I was hoarding it!!

Thanks for challenging me to use my old stash H2H! Personally I think this paper is Still Rockin'!

Love Note

Want a little sneak peek?! My card today features some new products available December 1st from the Heartstrings collection found in the Seasonal Expressions. I'm also playing along with the sketch challenge at Freshly Made Sketches and the "no" ink challenge on Heart 2 Heart.

 

There was no ink used in the making of this card. The darling typewriter image is from the Heartstrings Complements and the mini badge button is one of 8 pieces in the Heartstrings Assortment. With embellishments this cute there is no need to stamp with ink! Plus, no inky fingers!

Be sure to check out all the beautiful artwork and inspiration at Freshly Made Sketches too!

What Makes You Happy

My scrapbooking room is covered in goodness right now! My order for the new CTMH Seasonal Expressions catalog came along with some brand new products. I could not resist playing with just a few items for a couple of challenges.

The first challenge is a simple sketch at Freshly Made Sketches. It is a nice clean template that allowed me to use a PML card that I had in mind. The second challenge is for Heart 2 Heart's "NO" stamping challenge. For the entire month of 'No'vember, all of their challenges will have something to do with saying "NO"! To ask me not to stamp is practically like cutting off my right arm, seriously!! Then I saw the gorgeous brand new Hopscotch PML cards and it was a "NO"~brainer!

I just adore the sentiment on this card, "Do more of what makes you happy"! Yes, please! No need to stamp when the PML card says it all! To dress it up I simply added some twine, Hopscotch Stickease and a puffy 3-D sorbet heart.Totally cute and not a single stamp was inked!

Get your hands on this brand new book at my Holiday Open House November 15th!