CTMH Stamp-of-the-Month Blog Hop: Happy Place

Welcome to another Stamp-of-the-Month (SOTM) Blog Hop!  If you've come from Jen's blog, you're on the right track.  Just starting here?  Keep hopping by clicking the links in each post until you get back here.  I hope you're settled in with a hot cup of your favourite beverage (hot, because it's freezing here!), because there are lots of bloggers participating this month and lots of wonderful artwork to see.  Here is what this month's stamp set looks like:

Can you see the possibilities with this one?  I wasn't entirely sure how to use it at first.  But the one sentiment, "Like Mother, Like Daughter" trigged a great story for me.  I had one photo to use and went to Sketch 'n' Scrap for inspiration.  Sketch #51 was perfect, so I'm linking this project up there, for my very first time!  Here's what I created:

I love how this layout turned out!  It talks about how my daughter Arianna crafted with me one Sunday afternoon and how pleased I am that she's inherited my crafting gene.  I printed the photo on cardstock so I could stamp the sentiment directly on that white space on the photo.

I hand-drew those two hearts around it, just for fun.  Here are some more close ups of the details.  I used the leftover sequins from the Lollydoodle Card WOTG to embellish.  I thought they fit the colours well, and I happened to be working on that kit at the time the photo was taken.  Perfect!

The Lagoon patterned paper is from the retired Footloose kit.  I did all the colouring with our alcohol marker sets, after stamping the images with Memento Tuxedo Black ink.

Now, you can hop on over to Mary's blog and check out what she's created with this set.

Other Supplies used:

Paper Fundamentals Basic Assortment

Lollydoodle Paper pack

Kraft, Cocoa, Cotton Candy and White Daisy cardstock

Cocoa ink pad

Artiste and Artbooking Cricut collections

Sponge

Sharpie marker

Happy Creating!

Cross Canada Hop: These are a Few of My Favourite Things...

Welcome to another Cross Canada Hop!  It's been a while since I participated and I'm excited to be back in the line up.  To be honest, I couldn't NOT do it this month because the theme is all our favourite products!

If you arrived from Michelle's blog, you're on the right track.  If you're starting here and want to literally hop across Canada, just pop on over to Michelle's blog and you'll be at the beginning.  You'll also find a complete list of participating blogs there.

Now, on to the artwork!  There was a layout pictured in the new Idea Book that caught my eye so strongly, I immediately knew I had to create it myself.  Here is what I made:

Do you recognize it?  It VERY similar to the one in the Idea Book.  I did all the same embellishing, just had to adjust the layout to fit my three photos instead of four and I changed the title.  Why did this layout scream at me to be created?  Besides the super fun colours?  It has a TON of my favourite products.  First of all, Shimmer Trim!  I love the new teal colour:

Second, I adore using the Aqua Dots and now we have Flamingo ones!

Third, washi, washi, WASHI!  I have had a love affair with washi for quite some time and the new colours/patterns that came out in this new book are fab-u-lous!

And fourth, I am over-the-moon about our new Paper Fundamentals paper pack.  It's so fun to work with.  The entire layout is made with one of the sheets.  It's got an embossed pattern on one side and that same pattern in white on the back.

Those are my favourites.  What are your's?  I'd love to hear.

Now, you can hop on over to Brandy's blog and check out what her favourite products are.

Giveaway Winner!

Thank you to those who entered my giveaway.  It seems like the Glue Stick valentine, "I'm stuck on you" was the favourite!

And the winner is ...  Arlene!

 

You'll get this adorable stamp set!  Watch your inbox for an email.  Congrats, Arlene!

Kraft Container: The Perfect Gift, Valentine or Not

I have one more project to share that I spoke about on daytime Durham on Thursday.  This might just be my favourite of all of them and it didn't get too much air time.  There's only so much you can talk about in 5 minutes!

This is the Kraft Container I decorated up for a "Teacher Survival" kit. You could use this for any kind of gift, though.  It really didn't take much time to create.  I think the part that took the longest was the tag and ribbon!
 

I used the Ivy Lane paper pack and accessories.  (I am totally in love with those purple fabric flowers!)  The rolled paper flowers are cut with the Art Philosophy cartridge, using Ivy Lane and Hollyhock cardstock.  I actually just used a hot glue gun to put them together so it went REALLY fast. If you're at all like me, you probably like to see a lot of photos of a project like this, so here are some closeups.

And here's the top.

 I left the rest of the container pretty plain, letting the patterned paper shine.

And here's a close up of the tag.  I cut it with Art Philosophy and used second generation and Bamboo ink to add a pattern.  The stamp set is In the Background.  I also used Old World Alphabet (retired, I think) in Hollyhock ink for the words.  Then I sponged the edges with Bamboo ink.  I tied some seam binding ribbon on the the top of the tag and hot glued it on to the container.  

I also have one more project that we didn't get a chance to talk about on the show.  Another lollipop!  I made this one into a flower.  I simply cut two flowers out of Ivy Lane paper, using Art Philosophy, and one from Cocoa cardstock, all at different sizes.  I found the inspiration for this one at Inkspired Treasures.

Here's the side view so you can see the leaf.  I melded a rectangle onto two leaves in Cricut Craft Room so I could wrap it around the "stem".  I did add a bit of tape under the flowers so everything would stay put.

I hope in all these projects you've found some ideas for what to create for the people in your life this Valentine's Day.

Don't forget, you have until midnight to comment on my giveaway post here.

Happy Creating!

Valentine Gifts for the Teacher ... Or Just a Way to Make Someone's Day

Here we are on part two of the projects I shared on daytime Durham on Thursday!  I had so much fun creating these little packages.

Today's projects are the three burlap bags I decorated up.  These bags are so versatile and really don't need a whole lot to make them look fabulous!  Here are the bags:

Here's what I used on the bags:

Left:  For Always Textiles, Pearl Opaques (retired), Epoxy Bubbles, Rosewood Mini-Medley, Floral Base & Bling (retired).

Centre: Ruby Chevron Ribbon, Ruby cardstock, sanding block, Sarita Accessories, Neutral Metallic Baker's Twine.

Right: Dimensional Elements Hearts (retired), Balloon Ride Accessories, Neutral Metallic Baker's Twine, Creme Brulee dark Alcohol marker, Juniper Alcohol marker, Lagoon light Alcohol marker, and Sorbet Alcohol marker.

As I said on the show, I used Liquid Glass to attach pretty much everything, except the ribbon which was stitched right on the bag.  It's important to remember to stick a piece of cardstock inside the bag before you glue anything on.  You don't want your bag to be glued shut!

These can be filled with all kinds of fun goodies.  Fill them with chocolate hearts, gift card for Tim's or Starbucks, some sweet smelling hand cream or a manicure set, tic tacs and other mints, hand sanitizer and tissues.  Whatever will fit!  

Don't forget about my giveaway on Friday's post!  You have until Sunday at midnight to comment.

Stay tuned for my last Valentine post.

Happy Creating!

Fast and Fun Classroom Valentines Plus a Giveaway!

I'm so excited to share these super fun ideas for classroom valentines.  If you're here because you saw my segments on Rogers TV yesterday, welcome!  

As I said on daytime, I wanted to come up with some ideas that were (mostly) candy-free.  My kids get SO much candy for all sorts of special occasions at school.  I wanted to offer something different, as I'm sure other moms are thinking as well.  

Almost all these ideas came from a search on Pinterest.  I've included the links so you can see how each one is made.

First up is this fun one I actually designed myself!  The moustache is from our Artiste cartridge and the straw from the local Michaels dollar bins.  The sentiment is printed with my computer and those glitter hearts are from our new Pink Glitter paper and punched out.  You'll see them on some other valentines as well.  I just couldn't help but use that paper!  I used a piece of Ivy Lane paper to back this one.

This next one was inspired by this post on Happiness is Homemade.  I used the new Owls stamp set and printed the sentiment out with my computer.  The owl is coloured with our Alcohol markers. I used Lollydoodle to back this valentine.

This fun valentine, which my daughter wants to make for her class, is inspired by one on Tompson and Spring.  It's cut from a piece of Hollyhock cardstock and stamped with Black ink.  And, yup, more glitter paper hearts.  The "you Rule" is stamped with an upcoming Stamp-of-the-Month, Circus Alphabet, and the sentiment is from Holiday Tags.

I love this one.  Every student needs another glue stick at this time of the year.  The sentiment is printed with my computer.  The Happy Valentines Day is the same as above, stamped in Hollyhock ink.  I got this idea from Re:Located Living.  The glue stick is taped on with Washi Tape, easy peasy! (And another glitter heart, of course.)

This next one is from Bits of Everything.  I printed the first part with my computer and cut out the hearts with my Cricut.  The white one is from Art Philosophy and the Ruby, scalloped one is from Craft Room Basics.  The lines and "write" are stamped in black with Classmate Alphabet (which might be retired now).

This last one is just a print out and I did not design it.  It was just too much fun, I had to include it.  It's from Zakka Life.  She has a free file for four different mask and cape combinations.  My printer is running out of ink so it printed with some lines, but her file is perfect.  There's my only bit of candy.  ;)

I hope you find these helpful and that you'll think about creating your own versions to hand out next week.  I'd love to know if you decide to make some.  Post in the comments below to let me know.

And now the GIVEAWAY!  Comment below telling me which one is your favourite and you will be entered to win one of the brand new M-size stamp sets, Hi.  (It's one of my favourites!)

This contest is open to anyone in North America.  You have until Sunday at midnight to enter.  The winner will be posted on Monday.

Happy Creating!