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

We are here again, for another SOTM blog hop!  This month we've got almost 60 consultants participating.  If you came from Tamytha, the Paperheartist, you're on the right path.  If this is your first stop, just keep clicking the links at the end of each post until you get back here.

I am so excited to share my project with you.  Sometimes you make something that ends up exactly the way you wanted it to turn out.  I changed things around a lot while working on it, but the end result showcases my photo the way I really hoped it would.  Before we get to my artwork, here's a photo of what the stamp set looks like:

How fun is that!!!  I love that it matches with one of the Art Philosophy images, that the higher numbers are stamps, too, so that I don't have to stamp a 3 and a 0 to make 30.  This set is perfect for any kind of event, for invitations but also layouts.

Here is my project:

I had so much fun creating this layout, following the Sidebar-Main Frame pattern from Reflections.  I'm a year and a half behind, since my daughter has had her 6th birthday already, but I love this photo of her.  It was taken during her first birthday party with her friends.  I printed the photo in black and white so I could use any colour and I decided on blue because that is Arianna's favourite.  I loved the way the stamps were all rectangular. To show that my focus was on a year, I stamped each image a number of times, in a type of random grid, using Indian Corn Blue ink on Indian Corn Blue cardstock.  Then, you'll see the May stamp on the tag, since her birthday is May 30.  I chose to cut a different image than the ticket one because this bracket rectangle looks more girly.

Here's a close up of the stamped side:

And here is a close-up of the embellishment cluster.  

Materials used:  

Cardstock: Lilac Mist, Indian Corn Blue, Outdoor Denim, White Daisy

Ink: Indian Corn Blue, Outdoor Denim

Embellishments: Milepost Shapes, Colour-Ready Cork Alphabet, Lilac Mist brads, felt flowers (from Maya Road) and Denim Baker's Twine (from The Twinery)

Other: sponge, My Legacy Writer

Now it's time to hop on over to Katy's blog and drool over the artwork she's created.  

Happy Creating!

Join my Team and Get a Deal: Time is Limited!

Have you ever considered becoming a Close To My Heart consultant?  Now is the time, but that time is almost up.  The special promotion, Add on for Free, is over October 31.  Right now, when you sign up to join my team, you can choose an add-on pack (retail value of up to $140!) for free.  You already get an amazing deal when you purchase the New Consultant kit, for just $99 and now you'll get even more.  But it's over very soon.

I'd love to have you join our team of consultants.  I'm looking for people who are willing to step out, have fun, and learn new things.  It will feel overwhelming at first, but I'm here to help you, answer your questions, and get you started off on the right foot.  Maybe you're not sure what's all involved with this new job.  Maybe you're raring to go.  Send me an email or call me and we'll set up a time to chat.

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

We have reached my favourite month!  I love October.  I love this time of year, the way the weather is cooler at night and nice during the day.  I love the colours of the leaves changing.  We have ivy on our garage and our house changes from green to red every fall.  I love putting my sweaters on and cozying up with a yummy cup of Earl Grey tea.  It's also my birthday at the end of the month (and it's a big one this year!), but that's just a plus.

Our Stamp-of-the-Month blog hop is here and we've got a great group of consultants participating again.  If you came from Adeline's blog, you're on the right track.  This month's stamp set will get you thinking Christmas!  Now is the time for preparing cards and gifts and this set is perfect for that.

Isn't it cute?  I love it.  It has such wonderful texture and is so fun to work with.  Here are the cards I created.

I decided to use up some old paper for both of these cards.  This first one is made with Mistletoe Level 2.  The trees are stamped with New Englad Ivy in first and second generation.  The trunks and sentiment are stamped in Cocoa.  I sponged the edges of everything with Cocoa ink.  The trees on the left and middle are popped with one layer and the tree on the right is popped with two layers.  The embellishments added are from Bitty Sparkles, Rhinestone Designer Brads and the Red/Pink/Purple Sparkle Assortment.

This second card is made with some really old paper.  In fact, I've had the papers adhered to the card base for a couple years and I don't remember the name of it.  On this card, I stamped the sleigh with Ponderosa Pine and the other images with Cocoa ink.  I also lightly tapped my sponge all over the Colonial White piece.  The little ribbon is just from my stash.  The white-looking dots on the paper are Stardust Slitz Gel.  You can still see some of the colour through them in real life and they sparkle a bit, too.

Now hop on over to Sheila's blog.  I'm sure she's created some beautiful work to inspire you.  If you want to get your hands on this stamp set, email or call me or go to my website to order.

Happy Creating!



Wow, I Feel So Honoured!

I am so touched and amazed!  I thought that getting this little award from Lisa was an honour.  But then I got it from Jackie a little while later and I was tickled pink!  So, when I also got it from Carol a few days later, I was over the moon!  These ladies are so talented, so getting an award from them means a lot!  I didn't know people loved my blog so much.  I don't always post very regularly, but I try.  Thank you so much, ladies, for completely making my week!

This is a different kind of blog award in the respect that it recognizes inspiring blogs with less than 200 followers. This way some very worthy, but often over looked blogs benefit from some extra exposure...which is something every blogger can use!  And who doesn't like an award?


Liebster is the German word for "beloved" or "favourite". So it is now my turn to bestow this award to 5 of my most beloved blogs who have less than 200 followers. So be sure to check out the blogs listed below and congratulate them by leaving them some blog love in the form of a comment and becoming a Follower if you find them to be as inspiring as I do!

Kim at Creative Hands and Hearts.  I love her simple cards.

Arlene at Arlene's Creative Space.  She's one of my team members and does a great job scrapbooking heritage photos.

Carla at Carla Creates.  My friend, who creates gorgeous, award-winning layouts.

Brae at The Brae-er.  She just had a baby!  I love the details she uses in her artwork.

Sarah at Just Visiting.  Sarah is amazing!  She's been published numerous times and her work is beautiful.  Oh, and did I mention that she roomed with me for all four years of university?  Yup, I'm proud of her.  ;)

Make sure you check out their blogs.  Happy Creating!

I can hardly believe it.  Today my son turns 4!

This sweet little baby, only a day old, has grown up into this silly little boy, oh, pardon me, big boy.

He's such a character!  Full of personality and silliness.  He loves to make silly noises and he is incredibly curious.  He asks questions about everything and has to look at new things from every angle.  He absolutely adores anything to do with machines, particularly Mighty Machines and emergency vehicles and really knows his dinosaurs.

  

He's all these silly things, but he loves to pretend he's a baby, complete with sounds.  He still loves to cuddle with me and give hugs.  When he starts telling a story, he really gets into it.  He is a challenge sometimes, with a determined spirit that really hates when he doesn't get his own way.  He's still adjusting to the rules in his Kindergarten class, but he'll get there.  God created him as a true boy, rough and tumble, climbing, playing, running sort of boy.  I can only imagine what God has planned for Nathaniel. 

Happy Birthday, my favourite silly boy!

I have been having some fun working on past card kits and other projects.  Some of these are projects from gatherings and others are me just finishing up paper packs.

These first cards were made with the Splendor paper kit, Over the Rainbow and TLC stamp sets, and a Heavenly Blue brad.  The images were stamped in Goldrush, Moonstruck, Topiary and Heavenly Blue.

I love that this style card.  Fun and light and yet I've used two of them for sympathy cards.  Did you notice that on those two cards the sun is hiding behind the clouds more?  I didn't take it away entirely.  It's my way of telling the people to whom I would send the cards that the sunshine is still there, even though it may not feel that way at the moment.  Have you ever done that?  Put something on your card that has an extra meaning?  What did you do?  I'd love to hear about it!

Stay tuned for more cards.  Happy Creating!

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

Welcome to the September SOTM Blog Hop!  If you came from Judy's blog, you're on the right track.  If this is your first stop, just keep clicking the links in each post until you get back here and you will have experienced all the amazing artwork that consultants have created for you.

What a whirlwind this week has been!  I almost forgot that I didn't have a project made for this hop.  My kids start school next week, and Nathaniel will be starting Junior Kindergarten, so exciting!  We've been really focused on the last bits of potty training.  Yeah, not so fun, but necessary.  Arianna is looking forward to having her little brother join her at "her" school.  Anyway, that's been my focus and the reason I raced down to my craft room, during the half hour quiet time I could get out of the kids this afternoon, to create this card.  It really didn't take much time, thanks to the Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge which did the cutting for me.

I used Roxie Level 2 kit to create this card.  In fact, every piece of paper besides the base is from the patterned paper in this kit.  Love it.  I also used Just Blooms Paper Shapes Flutter (Those butterflies make me happy!), Foundry Ribbon Slides, and Designer Ribbon Red Collection, along with some retired Twill ribbon.  I stamped the tag in Sorbet, Cocoa and Desert Sand inks and everything was sponged with Desert Sand ink.  Then I added in some Clear Sparkles for a little extra bling.

Since I had paper in the Cricut, I decided to cut some pieces for journaling spots.  This stamp set is perfect for that.  Here are the two I stamped, ready to add to a card or layout.



The edges have been sponged with Desert Sand and the lines stamped in the same colour.  I also stamped some images in Cocoa and Barn Red, in first and second generation.  Can't wait to use them!

It's now time to hop on over to fancyMelissa's blog and see the stunning artwork she's got for you to drool over.  I know it's going to be great!

Happy Creating!