August Challenge with Graphic 45

In case you didn't know, Graphic 45 has been running monthly challenges, where you upload a picture of a themed project to their Facebook page.  This month, the theme is Summer Scrapbook Layouts.  I've always got plenty of pictures to scrap, and I am absolutely in LOVE with Tropical Travelogue, so I was all over this challenge!  (I even went out and bought a whole new pad of the TT papers because I've been using them so "freely".)

So, here's my Summer Scrapbook Layout:

It was a little difficult to get a good picture of the blues for some reason, so I hope you can see it well enough. I love the look of a variety of strips of the patterns in different sizes!  Here are some closeups of some parts:

I used one of the stamp sets and chipboard that coordinate with the papers, and added hemp ties to the chipboard pieces.  The cardstock & inks are from CTMH.

I colored the flamingo image with my Copic markers and popped it up with foam tape.

More chipboard with hemp ties, and a stamped title.  All papers were sponged with coordinating inks from CTMH for added dimension.

I always have so much fun with these papers!  Hope I find some time (and pictures) to play with them again soon... although I do have another little project with them calling my name too.

Thanks for stopping by today.  I hope to see you again soon!

Kids Day!, part 2

Next up for Kids Day is Sarah.  She's a little more accomplished, as she has been crafting since she was about 3 years old.  Here are her cards for the Cutters Creek contest:

Well I used greeting farm stamps,memento ink, copic markers, and a little stickles.  Well and card backings.

Note from Mom: I know, I can't believe I let her use my Copic markers either... still shaking my head...

Kids Day!, part 1

Today, I'm turning over my blog to my girls for a bit.  They wanted to participate in the kids crafting contest at the Cutters Creek blog, so they're each writing their own post today!  I hope you (and the kid in your life) enjoy!

First up, Holly, age 9:

I used these stamps to the picture. I stamped with momenoto ink and colored it with stickels.

Note from Mom: yes, I really let my kids use Stickles, and they still seem to last forever!  Here's a closeup of her colored in people:

Dog Days of Summer

This is my second week as Guest DT member at Heart 2 Heart Challenges, and I am so excited to be playing along again!  This week's challenge is Dog Days of Summer, so the challenge is to feature an animal in your project - bonus points if you use a dog.  Here's what I made for this week:

I just LOVE this cute little dog stamp!  And since he's part of an 'A' size stamp set, he's pretty frugal as well.  I made a standard size notecard based on one of the sketch patterns in the new "Make It From Your Heart" volume.  The papers are also new, from the Flirty paper pack.  I colored my cut little dog in using Copic markers (C1, C3, C5) - our new CTMH alcohol markers are a great budget-friendly alternative to Copics, and they work the same way (and of course work WITH them as well).  After assembling the card, I added some shine to his nose and eye with a little Liquid Glass.  I also added some clear Sparkles to the corners for a little bling!

Items used to make this card:

• Make It From Your Heart, Volume 1, $7.95
• Colonial White card base - you can get a 50 card/envelope value pack for $14.95
• Flirty paper pack, $9.95
• A Bowwow, $6.95
• Clear Sparkles, $2.95
• Exclusive Inks Stamp Pad, Black, $5.25
• Copic Markers - I used C1, C3, C5 for the dog; CTMH alternative could be alcohol markers in Slate & Whisper, $5.95 each 2 marker set (available soon!)

Thanks for stopping by today.  I'd love it if you leave a comment or become a follower or email subscriber, and I hope to see you again soon!

Curious Decor with Graphic45

It's once again my turn to post at Cutters Creek!

 

I recently hit the local Goodwill again, and found another item begging to be altered.  I found this cute (but boring) little silver-toned tray for a whopping $1.99, so I threw it on the ever-growing pile in my cart.  Once I got it home, I pulled out some supplies from Graphic45 and turned it into a fun piece of art.

Using the Olde Curiosity Shoppe 12" x 12" paper pad, I started by cutting four strips of the polka dot paper at 5/8" and pleating it.  I did this by hand rather than using a scoring board for a more random look to the pleats.  I adhered it around the inner edge using 1/4" Scor Tape.  I then used my Cricut to cut an oval approximately 5" x 7" from the red & cream number paper to fit the center of the tray.  I distressed the edges of the paper with a distressing tool, then rubbed a Distress Ink pad in Tea Dye along the edges for an aged look.

I cut the center panel and the "45" piece from two additional papers, and distressed the edges with both the distressing tool and a Distress Ink pad in Antique Linen.  I backed the center panel with black cardstock and adhered it to the tray with adhesive foam. I then adhered an embellished chipboard tag and the "45" piece using more adhesive foam.

I decorate the top of the tray using 2 sizes of metal butterflies from Graphic45 Staples and a butterfly image cut from one of the papers.  Once I had my image cut, I used some Ranger Inkssentials Crackle Accents over the entire image.  When dry, I pierced the center and stacked it with the metal butterflies on a G45 Staples metal brad.  It is adhered to the tray using adhesive foam and Scor Tape.




Finally, I added some additional embellishments from my stash, and it is ready to display.

I hope you enjoyed my little piece of art decor!  If you'd like to make something similar, you can use as few or many of the following supplies as you'd like.

Available from Cutters Creek:

• Graphic45, Olde Curiosity Shoppe 12" x 12" paper pad
• Scor Pal, Scor Tape
• Tim Holtz Distress Inks in Tea Dye and Antique Linen
• Scotch Pop-up Foam Squares
• Ranger Inkssentials Crackle Accents

Other Supplies Used:

• Graphic45, Olde Curiosity Shoppe Chipboard Die-Cuts 1
• Graphic45, Staples metal butterflies and decorative brads
• Tim Holtz, Idea-ology, Clock Key
• black mesh ribbon and "feathery" flower - from my stash

Thanks for stopping by today.  I hope to see you again soon!

Heart 2 Heart Sympathy

I am honored to be the Guest DT member at Heart 2 Heart Challenges this month, as I was picked as June's "Top Chick"!  The first challenge for this month is sympathy cards, and I thought the new Avonlea patterns and colors were perfect for the theme.

I started with a 5" x 7" card base and covered the entire front with the small circle pattern.  I then cut a panel from the medallions paper at 2 3/4" x 4 1/8", matted it with Avonlea Teal CS cut at 3" x 4 1/4", and adhered it approximately 5/8" from the right and flush with the top.  Next, I cut the medallion shape on page 56 of the Artiste Cricut cartridge handbook (Accent 1), sized as indicated on the Pirouette stamp carrier sheet, from Avonlea Green CS.  I then stamped the Pirouette stamp in Versamark ink and heat embossed it with clear embossing powder.  I also cut the double-ended banner on page 68 of the Artiste handbook (Shift-Accent 4) sized at 3/4", and stamped it with a sentiment from the new Words of Comfort stamp set in Chocolate ink.  I adhered the medallion shape to the left side of the card, then attached the sentiment to the back of a small metal medallion from the Brocade Assortment, and attached both so the metal medallion was centered in the CS medallion.  I added two Durables Round Studs to the matted panel and the design was complete.

I hope you enjoyed my card, and I hope you'll leave a comment and play along with us at Heart 2 Heart Challenges this month.  If you're interested in any of the products I used here, simply follow the links above.  If you are interested in other products, current specials, or seeing how to receive this awesome $50 bag when you join my team, just visit my website!

Thanks for stopping by today.  I hope to see you again soon!

You're Doggone Super! - New Product Blog Hop

Hello and welcome to our Close To My Heart new product blog hop!  We are featuring some of the fabulous new products in the Autumn/Winter Idea Book that just went live August 1.  If you've arrived here from Dawn Ross' blog, or if you are just starting out, you are in the right place.  When you're done here, you'll hop along to Judy Faye Garner's blog and see what great item she has cooked up for us!

I'm sure you will see a lot of projects this time featuring our more-than-awesome NEW Cricut Cartridge collection, Artiste.  But of course I could not resist adding just one more.  I also wanted to feature our new Clementine papers, totally because I did not think I cared for these papers when I saw them in the book!  But as soon as I saw them in person, I was totally converted and I hope you will love them too!  Here is my project:

You may recognize our cute pup stamp from a previous catalog, but I think he is SO cute I had to use him.  Plus, an image like this is great to color with our new alcohol markers (available soon)!  They weren't available yet when I created this, so I used my Copic markers, but if you want a less expensive alternative, ours are just the ticket! For just $5.95 you get TWO markers, the named color plus a shade lighter or darker (as indicated in the catalog).  The colors I used here would be similar to Saddle and a combination of Twilight and Crystal Blue.  You can choose any pink/red for his tongue.  Then I used some Liquid Glass to make his nose and eye look shiny.  I just love how he looks with those new Clementine papers!

Now, for that fabulous Artiste cartridge!  One of the things I got most excited about was these awesome swing cards!  There are 9 different designs on page 52 in the handbook.  I chose the card that uses the "Card" key on the keypad (so you press the "Card" key, then press "s") and cut it at 5.5".  That makes an approximately 4.25" x 5.5" card, and that center design is just slightly larger than the stamp of that shape that comes in the collection. (I stamped it in Twilight.)  If you look in the handbook on page 35, you will see that same shape, plus a banner shape that is perfect for making both my sentiment banner and making the center shape look like an award ribbon.  I cut all three of them at .75", two from pattern paper and one from Colonial White CS.  To cut this shape, press the keys Shift Lock, Accent 4, then "5" on the keypad.

But WAIT, that's not all!

Pull the left side of the card to the left and, voila!  The card "swings" and the image flips to something new.  I cut another of that center shape to cover the award ribbon tails I attached to the back of the front one, and stamped the coordinating image.  Next, I also cut the star shape at the size indicated on the carrier sheet for the "Super" star stamp and stamped the image in Sorbet ink.  I lined the inside of the card with Sorbet CS and stamped my sentiment, from A Little Thanks stamp set, in Chocolate ink.  I made sure to line up the sentiment so it would be hidden behind other card elements when the card is closed.

Note: To cut the pattern paper for the front/inside left of the card, I used a 6X6 piece of the paper on my cutting mat and cut the card shape again at 5.5" - and stopped it once it finished the "front" half of the card so it wouldn't cut into my mat too much.  Then I just trimmed a bit off of each side to leave a border.  When I assembled all the pieces, I popped the star image up with 3-D foam adhesive tape and attached the dog image with an adhesive spring.

I hope you enjoyed my project, and I'd love to hear your comments!  If you have questions about any of our new (or existing) products, just let me know.  I'm "the consultant with the know-how to show YOU how" and I love to answer questions.

Next, it's time to hop on over to Judy Faye Garner's blog and check out her project!  I hope to see you back here soon.