H2H Challenge - May 2nd

Happy May!! It's so nice to finally have the threat of snow behind us and start enjoying the breeze from open windows, the smell of fresh mulch and the happy faces of pansies and daffodils. Hurray!!

The wonderful team at the Heart 2 Heart Challenge blog is encouraging us to design something lovely for the Moms in our lives. This was great motivation for me to use the CTMH Mix & Mingle album to create a wall hanging -- what Mom wouldn't want a constant reminder that she's loved hanging in her favorite room? I know I would!! Just pop in a couple favorite pics and have a perfect gift made from the heart.

I wish all the moms out there a very happy and love-filled Mothers' Day. You do so much for everyone in your life -- enjoy this special day designed just for YOU! xo

All materials are Close To My Heart. Click here to order!

Stamps: Miracle Workshops On The Go stamp set, Chocolate Alphabet-Small, Salutation Seals

Paper: Miracle papers and CS

Ink: Twilight, Sweet Leaf, Bamboo, Chocolate

Accessories: Mix & Mingle Album, Miracle Irresistibles, Pearl Opagues, Creme Brulee grosgrain ribbon, White Organdy ribbon.

H2H Challenge - Apr 18th

Happy Spring!! The wonderful team at H2H Challenge blog has decided to do their first blog hop. They're calling it a Bunny Hop and it will feature projects with Easter or Spring themes. Well, I decided that a Bunny Hop project would just have to include - what else?? - a bunny! What says Easter or Spring better than cute little bunny rabbits?

I'm so excited to see how the H2H Bunny Hop works and am very happy to be participating. I can't wait to see what all the talented people out there create. Be sure to visit them all!

All materials are Close To My Heart. Click here to order!

Stamps: March SOTM - Sensational Season

Paper: Sophia papers and CS

Ink: Chocolate, Pear, Tulip

Accessories: Pink Button Collection, White Waxy Flax

H2H Challenge - Mar 7th

This week's challenge at Heart 2 Heart Challenge Blog is to create a scene using 3 different stamps. Wow! This really was a challenge, but it was SO much fun! I had started out wanting to do somethingwith my rainbow stamps and create a card for St. Patrick's Day, but just couldn't quite get what I was looking for. Maybe the lack of creative juices stemmed from the fact that I couldn't really get excited about a St. Patty's card...? I'm not sure, but it wasn't happening!
Anyway, I knew I wanted to use the cloud toput my sentiment on and was using the masking technique to try to make the rainbow come thru the cloud and have the sun behind it when inspiration struck! Ah-Ha!! Perfect time for a clear card!! So the moral of the story is, whenever you're making a card and think 'masking technique', try thinking 'clear card' instead. Let me know if it works for you!

All materials are Close To My Heart. Click here to order!

Stamps: Over the Rainbow, Month of March, Month of April, Doodle Alphabet, Card Chatter-Birthday

Paper: Cherry-0, Sweet Leaf CS, White Daisy CS

Ink: Vineyard Berry, Pacifica, Sweet Leaf, Sunflower, Gypsy

Accessories: Clear Cards, Splendor Designer Brads

H2H Challenge - Feb 28th

Wow! I love color challenges because they show us so many great combinations that we wouldn't normally have thought of. I'm not a huge fan of purple, but just love how the CTMH Gypsy color looks when mixed with Creme Bruele and Black.

Gorgeous! Thanks, H2H, for once again pushing us outside our comfort zone.

All materials are Close To My Heart. Click here to order!

Stamps: Delightful Things, Card Chatter-Birthday

Paper: Black, Gypsy & Creme Brulee CS

Ink: Black, Gypsy

Accessories: Black Opaques

H2H Challenge - Feb 21st

Well, a week has flown by and I'm posting again thanks to the fun challenge posted at the Heart 2 Heart Challenge blog.

This week's challenge is to design something that makes you think COLD. I've been having fun this week working with my rubber brayer to create skyscapes and this was a perfect challenge to create something against a chilly, winter sky. The color in my photo isn't quite true - - it's actually a very rich midnight blue - - but I think you'll get the idea.

All materials are Close To My Heart. Click here to order!

Stamps: Nature's Gift

Paper: Outdoor Denim CS, Sky CS

Ink: Black, Outdoor Denim, Versamark

Accessories: Sparkles, Clear Embossing Powder

H2H Challenge - Feb 14th

Happy Valentine's Day!

This week's challenge at the Heart 2 Heart challenge blog is to create something that incorporates hearts. I was lucky enough to have my daughter's entire hockey team (20!) stay with us this weekend - what a great group of girls!! I love Valentine's Day and wanted to make them a little something, so this is what I came up with.

The heart boxes came from Michael's and are made of kraft paper. I painted the bottoms red and the tops pink, using basic craft paint with some CTMH Pearl Paint mixed in for a little shimmer. The heart stamp on the box is from the December SOTM, 'Amore', backed with a White Daisy flower. The glitter dots on the border are made with CTMH Glitz Glitter Gel. I filled the boxes with Hershey's Extra Smooth Chocolate Hearts. Mmmmmmm! :)

The candy tubes are an idea I got at Karen Pederson's blog. Aren't they cute? They're filled with M&Ms & the heart on the circle tag was included in one of the exclusive stamp sets I received at Convention last year. (This year it's in Anaheim at the Disney hotel!! I can't wait!!)

Thanks for stopping by! Be sure to post your own creation at the H2H Challenge Blog - it's so much fun!

H2H Challenge - Feb 7th

What an appropriate challenge for Valentine's Day -- Kissing!! Isn't that fun? 'Kissing' is a stamping technique used to transfer one stamp image to another. If you want to watch a terrific YouTube video demonstrating this technique, just click here.

Inspired by CTMH's beautiful new Bohemian alphabet, I wanted to try adding patterns or images to other alphabet stamps. In this project, I used the Rustic alphabet and a small heart image from the Over the Rainbow stamp set. To create the pattern, I inked each letter with Blush ink, placed the block on my work mat ink side up, applied Vineyard Berry to the heart stamp and stamped it carefully onto the letter. I repeated this multiple times, then stamped the letter.

Check out the Heart 2 Heart challenge page for more wonderful ideas using this fun, creative technique. Thanks for stopping by and have fun kissing! xx

All products used are Close To My Heart. Click here to order!

Paper: Black & Colonial White Card Stock

Stamps: Rustic Alphabet; Over The Rainbow; Amore

Inks: Vineyard Berry; Blush; Black

Accessories: White Organdy ribbon

H2H Challenge - Jan 31st

I loved the sketch for this week's H2H Challenge! I was thinking of doing some type of medallions or flowers down the side, but since we're getting walloped with yet ANOTHER snow storm, well... We can't fight it, so might as well embrace it, right??

Here's the H2H sketch I was working from. Hop on over there and try one yourself!! Thanks for checking out my blog!!

All materials are Close To My Heart. Click here to order!

Stamps: Snow Flurries; Unity

Paper: Magnifique

Ink: Colonial White; Pacifica

Embellishments: Organdy White Daisy Ribbon; Sparkles

H2H Challenge - Animal/Bird Card

This is my first challenge entry and I had so much fun doing it! I'm hooked!! This week's challenge on the Heart 2 Heart Challenge blog is to create a card using an animal or bird. I love the Nature's Gift stamp set and thought it would be perfect to create a more masculine Valentine's Day card.

I used paper from the Bliss collection. It's one of the new paper collections available as of February 1st. I love the versatility of the colors - - they are mostly earth tones, which makes it easy to use any other color with them. It is my featured Kit of the Month for February and I'm challenging my members to bring photos of themselves with their husband or boyfriend to use in the workshop to celebrate Valentine's Day.

All supplies used are from Close To My Heart. Click here to order!

Paper: Bliss Level 2 Paper Pack

Stamps: Nature's Gift, Amore (Retired-I have limited supply available)

Inks: Cranberry, Chocolate, Brown Staz-On

Other: Clear Cards, Mocha Opaques, Glitz Glitter Gel