Cross Canada Hop: Another of My Favourite Things

Welcome to our September Blog Hop.  Last month I participated in a team Blog Hop where we shared our favourite new products.  (I shared two projects made with the new colours.)  Today I get to join the Cross Canada Blog Hop, showcasing more favourite new products!  I'm sure you're going to see lots of great new products used in lots of creative ways.  If you see something you like contact your consultant to get it in your hot little paws.

If you arrived here from Nicky at Timeless Cottage, you're in the right spot.  If you're starting here, just keep hopping until you get back.  If you'd like to literally hop across Canada, start at Julie at 12x12 Travels.  Get lost along the way?  Michelle will have a full list of all 17 hoppers if you need it.

On with my project!

One of my favourite paper packs in the new Annual Inspirations is Pathfinding.  I love fall.  It's my favourite time of year, so I find myself gravitating to any fall products.  But this pack is also cute.  The Complements have an adorable owl and fox, along with some great sentiments and titles.  I'm excited to use this set for one of my new kit options I'll be releasing soon.

Here is one of the layouts I've created to be included:

Here are close ups of each page: 

Isn't that fox so cute?  I love the acorns and flowers; and the zip strips are such a perfect fit.  I also added in some Bling Gems for some, well, bling.  I don't have photos yet, as you can see, but I think I might go back through my past years' photos and see if I can find some that work.  I do have some catching up to do.  :)

Did you notice that there is NO stamping?  These pages came together in a snap.  Sometimes you just need that.

Time to keep on hopping.  Your next stop is Brae at The Brae-er.  Enjoy and Happy Creating!

CTMH Stamp-of-the-Month Blog Hop: Family is Forever

Hello and welcome to another Close To My Heart Stamp-of-the-Month (SOTM) blog hop!  If you arrived from {Carla's blog}, you're on the right track.  If you're starting here, just keep hopping until you get back to my blog.  You'll have feasted your eyes on ALL the yummy projects.

This month we are creating with a lovely stamp set called Family is Forever.

I don't know about you, but this stamp set makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.  I am so grateful for the relationship I have with my family (my husband and kids) but also the extended family we enjoy. 

Thanksgiving is in October for those of us in Canada and so I decided to create a card for my mother-in-law.  She's the type of person who always mails a card to everyone for every occasion and I often neglect to return the favour.  Not this year!  She also makes THE MOST DELICIOUS apple pies and since I had a few chipboard pieces left from creating some layouts for kits, I made this 5x7 card:

Here's a close up of the tree.

I love the tree image in this set!  It was just begging for some fun treatments.  I inked the entire image with Chocolate ink, but then pulled the ink pad along the trunk section to give it (what I hope is) some bark-like texture.  Then I took a bunch of colours and, using sponge daubers, sponged them on the leaves in different areas.  I used Olive, Barn Red, Autumn Terracotta and even some Goldrush.  All this took some time, so I had to breathe on the entire image to moisten up the ink again.  (I love that you can do that with our dye inks!)

The papers are all from the Pathfinding paper pack and sponged with Chocolate ink.  Chipboard pieces are from the Pathfinding Complements and parts are popped with our new Thin 3-D Foam Tape. Then I just added a few Gold Bling Gems and I was done.

Make sure to contact your consultant to get your hands on this stamp set, because it's only available until September 30.

Now, hop on over to {Dana's blog} and check out the beautiful card she has created.  (Her stuff is always jaw-dropping gorgeous!  I love it.)

Happy Creating!

Cross Canada Blog Hop: Picture My Life

Welcome to another Cross Canada Blog Hop!  If you've arrived here from Nicky at Timeless Cottage, you are on the right track.  If you'd like to literally hop across Canada, you can start at Julie's blog.  The entire list of hoppers can be found here.

This month we're focusing on Picture My Life, the pocket scrapbooking program Close To My Heart introduced in our last catalogue.  But, we're not doing scrapbooking with it, at least not how it was designed. We're going to show you new and different ways to use this program.

I chose to use only the Chantilly PML collections.  Check it out here.  My project sort of came to me while I was looking through all the cards.  They have some wonderfully uplifting sentiments on them, so this little encouragement album came about.

I chose some cards and the order I would put them in, adhering some together if the back of the card didn't work.  I added just two photos and some special messages for my daughter.  I punched a hole in one corner and used some really old Hollyhock and Blush ribbon to a jump ring.  Here are a few more of the pages.

Hop on over to Lucy's blog to see more fun ways you can use PML cards.  Check out the Chantilly PML kit here.  And tune in tomorrow for two more projects with this kit.

Don't forget that this month you can get a pack of page protectors for just $3 when you purchase a PML kit.

Brae-er's Blog Hop: Some of My Favourite Things

I am joining another Brae-er Team Blog Hop!  You should have arrived here from Carol's blog.  If you're starting here, just keep hopping until you get back.

This month's hop is all about our new favourite products.  I've been really enjoying the five new colours Close To My Heart introduced with the Annual Inpsirations catalogue.  They're beautifully soft, but not just pastel soft.  They're modern and a lot of fun to work with.  I also love the new Designer Creation collection of party favour items and such.  These paper bags are so cute!  I stamped some images with Have a Happy Day stamp set, trimmed them out and popped them with our two different heights.  Then I added some Gold Bling Gems.

Here's a close up.  You can see the two different heights here. (Full recipe below.)

I also made a card, one that came out of my own head (no, that doesn't happen often!) and I absolutely love it!

The background is from the Basic Paper Fundamentals (we now have them in ALL our colours).  I added new Thistle and Slate ribbon and sponged with Whisper ink.  Those stars are also new, but they only come in white, so I used our new ShinHan markers to colour them!

Now, hop on over to Heather's blog to see what her favourite new products are.

Items used:

Designer Creations Slate Paper Bags

Have a Happy Day

Thistle ink pad

Glacier ink pad

Canary ink pad

Flaxen ink pad

Pixie ink pad

Bling Gems Gold Assortment

Paper Fundamentals Basic Assortment

Slate Diagonal Striped Ribbon

Thistle Diagonal Striped Ribbon

Whiper ink pad

White Enamel Stars

Tender Pink ShinHan Marker

Pastel Green ShinHan Marker

3-D Foam Tape, 2mm

3-D Foam Tape, 1mm

CTMH Stamp-of-the-Month Blog Hop: What a Hoot!

Welcome to another Stamp-of-the-Month Blog Hop!  If you've arrived here from {Lucy's blog}, you're on the right track.  If you're starting here, just keep hopping until you get back here and you will have feasted your eyes on all the wonderful artwork created with this month's set.  If you get lost along the way, just click here: http://ifyoublingit.blogspot.com/p/stamp-of-month-blog-hop-list.html for a complete list of hoppers.

On to the artwork! This stamp set is so cute!  I love it.

And here is the layout I created:

My two kiddos can be so silly and it's a hoot to watch them sometimes.  This stamp set was perfect.  Here's a close up of the two owls.  I used the new Pathfinding paper pack to create this layout.  I love it!

I coloured both owls with the new ShinHan markers.   I just love them!  You'll notice the colouring is a bit splotchy.  I chose to leave them like that because I like the added texture.  If you continue to layer the colours, it will look beautifully smooth.  And here is a close up of the bottom part.

I used the colourless blender to lighten up the top half of these letters.  And scattered around are our new Gold sequins, also love those!

Now, hop on over to {Haley's blog} and check out the two adorable cards she's created with this cute stamp set.

Cross Canada Blog Hop: It's Time to Get Fancy!

It's time to hop across Canada again!  This time we are focusing on fancy-fold cards and other projects.  If you arrived from Michelle's blog, you're on the right track.  She's also the geographical start of our hop, so if you're starting here, but want to literally hop across Canada, pop on over there first.  She also has a full list of all the hoppers.

Here is the project I created:

This is one of the cards the members of my card club will create on Tuesday.  Here's the popped up view:

Fun, right?  I realize that I just did a box card for the Stamp-of-the-Month hop a couple posts ago, but my club requested a fun new design and I thought this would be perfect.  I have a limited amount of supplies that I can use, so this isn't as full as other box cards you may have seen.  I still love it!  Here's another view:

I also added a spot to write on the back:

Now it's time to hop on over to Sheri's blog and check out her fancy-fold project.

Supplies used:

Balloon Ride paper

Balloon Ride accessories

Lifting Spirits stamp set

Saddle, Sky and Crystal Blue ink

(Coincidentally, almost all these items are retiring, except the Crystal Blue ink.)

CTMH: May Stamp-of-the-Month Blog Hop

It's time for another Stamp-of-the-Month Blog Hop!  If you arrived from Haley's blog, you're on the right track.

Welcome to May!  Now, if only someone would tell the weather.  My tulips, which are normally almost done by now haven't even bloomed, although I'm finally seeing some buds.  As I write this, it's cold, almost winter coat cold!  I'm eagerly awaiting warmer weather.  But hopefully, these bright, fun cards I've created will help brighten your day.

Here is the stamp set we're highlighting this month:

I absolutely love this fun set!  The images are so cute.  I wanted them to stand out and they're perfect for standing alone.  Here are the three cards I made with my favourite images from the set:

The card bases are all top-folding, which made it easier to tie the Baker's Twine around the card front.  All the images were stamped with pigment inks.  I used my craft heater to make sure it was really dry before I coloured the top ribbon and the bottom apple.  See list below for supplies used.

Now, it's time to hop on over to Susan's blog and find out what fun projects she created with this set.  And remember, this stamp set is only available for the month of May, so contact your consultant to get your hands on one.

Supplies used:

White Daisy Cardstock

You've Got a Friend stamp set

Chocolate Baker's Twine (retired)

Sparkles: brown & tan (retired)

Marvy Uchida Le Pen

Foam Tape

Pigment inks: Black, Chocolate and Cranberry

Alcohol marker sets: Buttercup, Creme Brulee, Cranberry, Sorbet, Sweet Leaf

CTMH Stamp-of-the-Month Blog Hop: Balloon Talk

Hello and welcome to another SOTM Blog Hop!  I'm doing a happy dance today because Spring has FINALLY arrived here in Ontario.  The robins are hopping around, the Canadian geese are honking, the sun is warm and I put my kids in their rubber boots today!  :)  Knowing that some of my readers are still digging out of a big snow storm makes me feel that much more grateful for our weather.  I am blessed to live where I do.

On to our hop.  If you arrived from Lalia's blog, you're on the right track.  If you're starting here, just keep hopping through until you get back here.

We are highlighting the super fun Balloon Talk stamp set.

Isn't it fun?  Here's what I created:

I went really introspective with this layout.  I loved some of the wonderfully encouraging sentiments in this set, so I started there.  I also used a Sketch 'n' Scrap sketch again this month, but changed it to a 2-page layout.  

I started with some Instagram photos I had and had fun creating a layout that will encourage me.  (The text photos are excerpts from a blog I follow called Women Living Well.)  I used Balloon Ride paper and Complements because it has muted shades of the colours in my photos, and I loved the wording on the complements, too.  Here are a few close ups.

And here are photos of the balloons I used.  I sponged them with Saddle ink, like I did on every other piece, including the complements.

And I couldn't finish without showing you a couple close ups of those fabulous chipboard Complements.  They're just "lovely".

Those are grey epoxy bubbles in between my banner pieces.

Now, it's time to hop on over to Dawn's blog and check out what she's created.  Can I challenge you to scrapbook yourself?  Get thinking about how to give yourself a boost in your artwork.

Remember that this stamp set is only available for the month of April.  Talk to your consultant about how you can get your hands on one.

Happy Creating!

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.