Cutie Pie - Stamp of the Month Blog Hop

Hello and welcome to the December Stamp of the Month Blog Hop! If you came here from the fabulous Pamela Ellison's blog, or if you are just starting out, you are in the right place. If you get lost anywhere along the way, I have a complete list of participants posted right here.

This month's stamp set is Cutie Pie, a set of 11 stamps that I have completely fallen in love with! These images and sentiments would make great cards for all ages, would look sweet on some boxes from Artiste, and of course make awesome scrapbook pages. I chose to use them this month to make a single page layout.

I'm behind enough on "regular" pictures, so I certainly haven't done anything with the school portraits that have been layered behind each other in frames all these years. But this sweet little kindergartener is going to graduate 8th grade this year, so it's high time to get some of them back out of hiding again. (I'm also convinced the sweet faces will help me survive the teenage years.)

I created that snazzy patterned paper by stamping all four cupcakes repeatedly with Pixie ink on Pixie cardstock. I filled in any larger spaces left with the little heart stamp. I used the heart stamp again on a scrap and cut out a few hearts to scatter on the layout with some adhesive gold sequins. The banner sentiments are also from the stamp set, and I used Pixie and Flaxen inks to stamp them. Simple banner shapes are an easy way to add a little interest to the otherwise fairly simple design of this layout from Reflections, our original How-To pattern book.

I had planned to use our Bronze Shimmer Trim next, but I had used it so often, that I didn't have enough left. So what you see here is the wider (5/8") American Crafts glitter tape instead. Same color. I used the Flaxen paper from the Paper Fundamentals Whimsy Assortment next - the glossy pattern side in the smaller strip, then the color/white pattern for the rest of the page background. Of course, as usual, I inked the edges of all of my papers.

Finally, to add a little balance, I added another heart and a few more gold sequins to the opposite corner of the layout.

I hope you like my take on this month's stamp set; I'd love to hear what you think. If you'd like to shop before we hop along, the links below will open in a new window so you don't lose your place. Now, I can't wait to head off to our next hop stop and see what the talented Dana Kessler has made for us this month. 

Cutie Pie - December SOTM

Paper Fundamentals - Whimsy

Cardstock - Pixie and White Daisy

Ink Pads - Flaxen and Pixie

Non-Stick Micro-tip Scissors

Bronze Shimmer Trim

Sequins - Gold Assortment

Bonding Memories Glue Pen

Sponge Daubers

Reflections How-To Program

A Cyber Monday First From Close To My Heart

Make a date with your computer for Monday, my crafties! For the first time ever, Close To My Heart is offering a one-day discount on our super popular Cricut Cartridge Collections. Not just one of them, but any and/or all of them will be 20% off all day Monday! (FYI, the order system is set to Mountain Time, so that's 11pm for those of us here in the midwest.)

I also have a Mystery Hostess "party" going on right now as well. Join the Mystery Hostess gathering on my website and you could receive the Hostess Rewards for all of the orders received through December 10. You must remember to join the gathering in order to qualify, as that is the only way that Hostess Rewards can be earned.

Here are pics/details on all four fabulous collections we have available:

Artfully Sent is the most recent offering from Close To My Heart. Geared towards cardmakers, it makes it easy to create gorgeous handmade cards in no time! Card styles include pop-ups, scenes, sentiments, sleeves, and pocket cards (also perfect for pocket scrapbooking!). The collection includes the following:

1 – Cartridge (700 images: Cards and Font)
3 – My Acrylix® D-size stamp sets
1 – 12" × 12" White Daisy Cardstock Pack

Recommended blocks for included stamp sets: 1" × 1" (Y1000), 1" × 3½" (Y1002), 3" × 3" (Y1006), 2" × 3½" (Y1009).

Artbooking is a scrapbooker's dream come true!  There are designs for compete layouts and mini-books, or use the elements separately for your own designs. The collection includes the following:

1 – Cartridge (700 images: Font, Mini Books, Layouts)
3 – My Acrylix™ D-size stamp sets
3 – 12" × 9" Dimensional Elements (3 sheets of different shapes)

Creative Feature Keys: Title, Photo Mat 1, Photo Mat 2, Icon, Border, Overlay.

Recommended blocks for included stamp sets: 1" × 1" (Y1000), 1" × 3½" (Y1002), 2" × 2" (Y1003), 3" × 3" (Y1006), 2" x 3½" (Y1009), 4" × 5" (Y1012).

The Artiste collection features gorgeous 3-D projects, plus interactive cards, accent pieces, and more. I use the font on this cartridge more than any other font I have, possibly more than all the others combined!   The collection includes the following:

• 1 – Cartridge (700 images: themed projects, cards, fonts, shapes, and 3-D items)
• 3 – My Acrylix™ D-size stamp sets
• 3 – 12" × 9" Dimensional Elements (3 sheets of different shapes)

Creative Feature Keys: Accent 1, Accent 2, Accent 3, Accent 4, Card, 3D Object.
Recommended blocks for included stamp sets: 3" × 3" (Y1006), 2" × 3½" (Y1009), 2" x 6½" (Y1010).

Art Philosophy is the collection that started it all!  Tons of versatile shapes, along with two font versions, makes this a great addition to every crafter's arsenal. The collection includes the following:

1 – Cartridge (700 images: font, shapes, and 3-D items)
3 – My Acrylix™ D-size stamp sets
3 – 9" × 12" Dimensional Elements (3 sheets of different shapes)

Creative Feature Keys: Layer, Decorative Layer, Tag, Card, Font, Font Layer.

Recommended blocks for included stamp sets: 1" × 1" (Y1000), 2" × 2" (Y1003), 2" × 3½" (Y1009), 3" × 3" (Y1006).

So, is your clicker finger itchy yet? To see some of the things I have made with each of these collections, click on the following links:

• Art Philosophy
• Artiste
• Artbooking
• Artfully Sent (sorry, haven't had a chance to use this one much yet!)

Any questions, just let me know!

I'm Back with Mojo Monday

So, I got a fun new stamp set from Close To My Heart and I've been dying to play with it. That and today's Mojo Monday sketch got me moving! My laptop has been having power problems leaving me postless lately, but I had to take the chance that I could get the pictures up and post written in time.

Here's what I came up with for this week's sketch:

Love, love, LOVE this!! The Make It Merry stamp set was super fun (and pretty darn easy) to work with.

Here's a  little closer look. The papers I used were all scraps left over from the
Snowhaven Card Workshop On The Go, along with a white notecard. I colored in the main body of the scooter with a Copic marker, and paper pieced the seat and fenders.

The sentiment stamp and cute little cardinal stamps I used inside are part of the set too.

Go check out this week's Mojo Monday sketch, and you can play along too!