September SOTM Blog Hop: It's a Thriller!

Here we are at the beginning of another month and a brand new Idea Book.  I'm sure you're going to see some amazing artwork on the blog hop this month, with lots of new product.  If this is your first stop, just keep clicking the links on each blog until you get back here. If you arrived here from Sylvia's blog, you're on the right track.  If you want or need to see the whole list, you can find it on Kathleen's blog.
Here is what September's SOTM looks like:

Thriller is perfect for all your Halloween projects and I figured lots of people would be using it for just that.  I'm not a huge fan of skulls and cross-bones or vampires and such, and I also figured some of you wouldn't be either.  Keeping that in mind, I challenged myself to use this set in a non-Halloween way.  I don't often "think outside the box" when I'm using stamp sets, so it was very good for me to do so this time.

Here are the cards I made.

This first card is a little one, 2 1/2 x 3.  I used the new purple ink, Gypsy, to stamp the skull image and the sentiment (from Say it in Style).  I brayered the top flower in that colour as well.  The stitches (from Togetherness) and the second flower are done in Black.

This 4 1/2 x 4 1/2 card was done with Lagoon and Black.  I stamped this image on a scrap piece and then created two masks for the inside and outside of the frame.  I stamped flowers from Treasure Life in first and second generation inside the frame and then stamped the frame.  I edged the image piece with the direct-to-paper technique in Lagoon.  

This last card is a 3 x 6.  I used Sunset to stamp the images and sponged Black on the edges.  Then, to add a little flair, I cut the tops of the middle flourish with my craft knife and lifted them off the paper a bit.  This next photo shows that detail.

I hope you're enjoying the blog hop!  It's time to click on over to Georgia's blog and see the wonderful artwork she's created.  Thanks for stopping by.

Happy Creating!

Celebrating 100 posts with some Blog Candy!

Wow, this is my 100th post!  I can't believe I've hit that milestone.  I'm going to celebrate!  You have a chance to win some blog candy.  How?  Just post a comment and become a follower, if you're not already.  Get two entries if you post about this blog candy on your blog.  Be sure to let me know by posting a link in the comments below.
What will you receive?  These two brand new, sweet stamp sets are worth $26.95 CAN each.  Chillin' is perfect for those Christmas cards that I'm sure you'll be working on soon.  Use Summertime for all those seasonal photos you've just taken.

Help me reach my goal of 100 followers (I'm only 15 away!) and I may just give away more goodies!

This post will stay at the top until August 31 and I will draw a name on September 3rd.  Scroll down for more Christmas Cards!

Happy Creating!

Christmas Cards, the 6th and Final

This is it, my last Christmas Card to post, at least in this series.  I've saved a pretty cute one for the last.  It's made with Jingle and one of my favourite snowman stamp sets, All Decked Out.  It's made up of all the parts to build a snowman on paper!  For this card, I just used the circle for the head, a face and a top hat, masking the circle so it wouldn't show in the hat.

I did some dry embossing with my trimmer and a scoring blade on the base to create the lines.  I also added some Glitz Glitter Glue to the dots in the paper, a White Daisy grosgrain knot and some more sparkles.  The green on the top hat was paper pieced.  I stamped it on the same Olive paper in the background and then cut out just that portion.

I hope you've enjoyed these 6 cards and that they gave you some inspiration for your own Christmas cards this year.

Don't forget about the blog candy.  Make sure you leave a comment on that post in order to enter.  Scroll up to see it.

Happy Creating!

Christmas Cards, the 5th

Here we are, number 5 of 6 Christmas cards.  This one was made following a pattern from Originals and again, with the Jingle paper pack.  I used Holiday Trinkets for the sentiment and a Martha Stewart punch for the snowflake.

When I first did this card at a workshop, I wasn't thrilled with it.  When I made it this time, I ink distressed the edges of some of the papers and added some Glitz Glitter Gel to the snowflake (which didn't show up in the photo) and nice big sparkle to the middle of it.  I like it a lot more now.

Stay tuned for the last card coming in the next few days!  And if you're looking for my blog candy post, scroll up.

Happy Creating!

Christmas Cards, the 4th.

Here we are, on our fourth Christmas card and it's time to switch paper packs.

This was a card we did at one of my Christmas card workshops.  I used Jingle paper, New Fallen Snow for the snowflake (in Twilight ink) and a Christmas sentiment stamp set whose name has escaped me at the moment.  I added a strip of white daisy ricrac on the side and some sparkles to dress it up a bit.  The card pattern is from one of our How-To Books, Originals or Wishes.

I love the different types of snowflakes in New Fallen Snow; they're so pretty.  We all hope for a white Christmas where I live.  It really doesn't feel like Christmas if the lawn is still green (or sometimes brown).  When I was growing up, we never had to hope, there was always lots of snow to play in on Christmas Day.  Or maybe I just remember it that way.  

There are two more cards to share in this series, so check back in a few days for those.

Stay tuned for my next Christmas Card workshop in November.  In the mean time, Happy Creating!

Christmas Cards, the 3rd

It's time for the third installment of my Christmas card posts, ideas to help inspire you for your own cards.

.
This 3"x6" card was also made with Aspen paper and Outdoor Denim twill ribbon.  I love these little snowmen.  They come from the Snow Friends stamp set.  I coloured their hats using a blending pen.  Their little buttons were coloured black with a marker and then I used Liquid Glass to give them some shine.
Snowmen are perfect for holiday cards!  What will your cards have?

Get the Juicy Details!

Want to see what's on sale starting Wednesday?  Just take a look below.
If you can't see the list, click here.



Now is the perfect time to stock up on your favourite paper packs.  Level 1s, 2s and My Stickese are all available at a deep discount.  In fact, for the duration of the sale, this is the only way to get these products.  So make sure you go to my website and take advantage of Close to my Heart's fabulous way of saying "Thanks!" to our customers.

If you're looking for the SOTM Blog Hop, just scroll down.

August SOTM Blog Hop

Here we are again.  It's time for another Stamp-of-the-Month blog hop.  And what a wonderful stamp set it is!
If you came from Carol's blog, you're on the right track.  If my blog is your starting point, just keep clicking until you get back here.  I'm sure you're going to get to see some stunning artwork!
Something Splendid is a lovely set with gorgeous big flowers, perfect for base and shade stamping, although I didn't use it for that, and other flowers and sentiments to compliment them.  Here are the images in the set:

There's even a little dot to fill in that cute little flower!  I chose to do a layout and as I was going through my printed photos in an effort to catch up on some scrapbooking, I came across these photos of my daughter sitting on her potty.  The flowers on her sweater are a very close match to the ones in the stamp set.  Perfect!  I chose to follow a pattern, called Back Stage, from Jeanette Lynton's new book, Magic.  No, it's not available to customers yet, unfortunately you'll have to wait until September.

I used one of the big flowers, one leaf, and the small flower to random stamp the Outdoor Denim cardstock on the background.  I used the large middle for the centre of the Big Pinks flower on the left page.  I also used the small flower for the other Big Pinks flower middles and to disguise the white spaces on the title.  The sentiment on the top of the right page also comes from the set.  The date on the left page is from Notice the Details.  I used White Daisy, Outdoor Denim, and Indian Corn Blue cardstock and inks, and patterned paper from two different kits: a strip of Indian Corn Blue from Sweet Home and the striped Crystal Blue from Twitterpated. The title is stamped using the Friendship Large alphabet. The flourishes on the left are rub-ons. Most of the papers are edge distressed by sponging with Desert Sand ink. Here are some detail photos:

This last photo shows what makes this page interactive, which is what Jeanette's book is all about.  The top circle is attached with a brad and swings to the side to reveal the journaling.  Once I get it in a Memory Protector, I'll put that top piece on top of the protector and put the brad all the way through the protector and the page, making it truly interactive.  It'll be in my gathering album very soon, so if you want to see it in person, book a gathering with me! Want the stamp set?  Call or email me today to find out how you can purchase it or even get it for free.

Okay, I'm done babbling.  Now it's time for you to hop on over to Jenifer Brenner.  Her card is beautiful.

Happy Creating!

Christmas Cards, the 2nd

Here is the second card I wanted to share with you.  It has one of my favourite "symbols" on it.  The star!

I love stars, any kind.  Maybe it stems from my experience in the theatre where I secretly hoped for that starring role.  Maybe it came from one of my directors who wanted to make sure that we all felt the importance of our roles, no matter how big or what our job was.  This sort of played out in my teaching.  When I welcomed a new class of elementary students (usually the sweet primary kids) into my room in September, I told them they were all stars, special in some really great way, talented, and they should shine like stars.  I really believe that.  Each person is talented, gifted and special in some way, whether it be in a school subject like Math or Phys. Ed., or in the way you make others feel comfortable around you, or make friends easily, or even help out.  Everyone is a star!

I guess that is why I still love stars in my cards.  I have lots of stamp sets with them and I love using them.  This particular star was stamped in Creme Brulee with one of my favourites, Shining Star.  I used Say It In Style for the sentiment and the paper is from Aspen again.  I also added some Bitty Sparkles to bling it up a bit.

Now, what is your "star" gift?