December is here!

I am not sure where November went, and I am absolutely not ready for December!   I do, however, have 2 cards prepared for tonight's get-together.

This first card uses the following supplies:
C1567 Santa Claus
Ponderosa Pine Paper Fundamentals
White Daisy card stock
Cranberry card stock
Ponderosa pine card stock
Cranberry Exclusives Ink
Gold string and gold tape
Technique highlight: "spirelli" (the gold string on the snowflake)

This second card uses the following supplies:

Hopscotch paper packet

C1603 A Bunch of Thanks

Smoothie card stock

Colonial white card stock

Flaxen Exclusives ink

Black Exclusives ink

Glacier Exclusives ink

Ponderosa pine Exclusives ink

Sunset Exclusives ink

Black journaling pen
Technique highlight: hand drawn borders

I am hoping to get one more card done using the December stamp of the month!

November is here!

Our first stamping group in a while... will be good to see everyone!

We will be making 2 cards... the first card is a thank you/general purpose card using the stamp of the month "It's the little things".  I wanted to use this set (1) because I like it, and (2) some people find these sets of small stamps a challenge to use!  Supplies:  CTMH Exclusive Inks: ruby, topiary, desert sand, and black. Card stock: white daisy and kraft. Sparkles assortment, round, brown & tan. Techniques are fussy cutting and masking.

Inside of the card.  This shows another way of using this stamp set.  Wouldn't this be a great way to frame a photo?  The sentiment is from a past stamp of the month "A flowering bunch"

This holiday card uses the Christmas stamp set "Best Christmas".  Supplies:  CTMH Exclusive Inks cranberry and glacier.  Cranberry baker's twine.  Card stock white daisy, glacier and cranberry.  B&T paper from Snowhaven paper packet.  Techniques are embossing, fussy cutting, using punches creatively!

Inside of card.  Stamps from "Best Christmas" stamp set.  Snowflakes are finished with dryer sheet technique and glittered.

The top card can be made using a variety of colors.  If you have a different selection you would like to use, feel free to bring them!  Fall colors would be pretty as well!

We will meet at 6 p.m.  Please bring your scissors and adhesive.  Yea stamping!

Always grateful...

Well, fall is officially here, even though it doesn't really feel like it yet.  Our last projects were focused on Halloween, so thought a fall card would be a nice change.  For our October 9 get together, we will be keeping it simple... just card stock, stamps, and ink!

This card uses stamps from C1559 Always Grateful, and D1621 Pathfinding (from the Pathfinding WOTG), white daisy and chocolate card stock, and Close To My Heart Exclusive inks chocolate, olive, goldrush, and desert sand.  You might not be able to see it clearly here, but the card has an embossed line above and below the stamped area.

This next card uses stamps from D1609 Seaside Greetings, and C1499 Perfect Day (retired), white daisy and glacier card stock, and CTMH Exclusive Inks glacier and desert sand.  The technique uses part of the triple time technique, which I will provide instructions for.

We will also go over how to make envelopes, and how to emboss envelopes.

Hope you are enjoying the cooler weather!

Are you ready for Halloween? continued...

Almost forgot to post the last 2 Halloween cards...

The card below was inspired by Pinterest...

Reminder that if you use the new ShinHam markers, then stamp in either the Archival Black or the Memento Tuxedo Black.  Let them dry before starting to color!  You can also use your water brush and your CTMH Exclusive Ink to color, or use your water color pencils!

Are you ready for Halloween?!?

Well, I promised to have something Halloweenish on the blog by Wednesday evening... though I am not real happy with the cards so far, I will post what I have!

The top card uses Purple Glitter Gems, Thistle Diagonal Striped Ribbon, Scaredy Cat paper pack, Black and Colonial White card stock, D1616 Have a Happy Day (can you spot the stamp?!?), C1509 Magic Potions, and B1429 Eek & Shriek, Black, Suslet, and Thistle Exclusive Inks.

The bottom card is to practice using masks.  In addition to boo, I have spooky and some negative strips that can be used to showcase "critters".  The bat is from B1453 Frightfully Fun.  There is also a ghost, a mummy, a pumpkin and a skull you could use, along with some cute Halloween sayings. The bat is stamped in Memento Tuxedo Black, and colored with ShinHan markers (peony purple and  pastel green).  Paper is from the Scaredy Cat paper packet.

 I hope to have one more card using D1605 Halloween Greetings.  We will see!

As always, please bring your paper cutter, scissors, and adhesive.  If you bring any of your own inks or markers, please be sure they are marked in some way!

Seminole patchwork...

I was born and raised in South Florida.  The Seminole Tribe of South Florida is famous for their colorful patchwork.  I have translated a couple of the patterns to paper, and that is what we will be playing with this week.

This card uses the seaside paper pack, along with sorbet, lagoon and desert sand card stock.  Stamping is done in chocolate and desert sand CTMH exclusive inks.  Stamp sets used:  S1409 Family is Forever (September stamp of the month) and C1533 Fabulous You.  I also used the CTMH border punch.  I did a second pattern of Seminole patchwork.

Here are 2 cards I made some time ago using some Seminole patchwork patterns.

If we have time, we will also make a Halloween card!

Happy stamping!

Project for August 28th Thursday night group

Well, tonight the focus is on embossing... and we will make this card (or something similar, as I am not so happy with the colors I have chosen).

The paper is from the Pathfinding paper packet.  I stamped the greeting above in barn red, but other colors that go with this paper are goldrush, olive, glacier, autumn terracotta, chocolate and lagoon.  The barn red background is embossed with the CTMH stripe embossing folder.  The butterfly and the greeting are embossed using CTMH dimensional elements, which I will show you how to do.

As always, please bring adhesive, scissors, and your paper cutter.

Faux Pinwheel card and my challenge entry...

Well, we are still playing with the Jubilee paper.  Love this paper!  On Wednesday we worked on making a "faux pinwheel" card .Thanks to Operation Write Home for the inspiration!  See the tutorial here:  http://www.owhstarsandstamps.org/2011/04/tutorial-pinwheel-ii.html.

I have not added a greeting... will wait until I am ready to send it!

The card below is my entry for the Heart 2 Heart Challenge... Inspired by... a song.  I am sure you recognize the August Stamp of the Month and the Chalk It Up paper.  Of course, my song inspiration is "Wild Thing..." and inside says, "you make my heart sing".  I first doodled in the owl... then thought, I should make a card out of this... and then... Wild Thing!

Time to start working on our project for Thursday night.  A hint... it will involve dry embossing!

Watch for a post Thursday morning!

SueAnn's Gathering information...

For those of you planning to attend SueAnn's gathering tonight, here are the projects we will be doing.

The top project is a card... bottom project is a bookmark.  We will be using black and hollyhock stamp pads.  Please bring scissors and adhesive.

Hope to see you there!

Open House Report!

Well, my Close to my Heart Supervisor Patti and I had our open house to welcome the new CTMH Annual Inspirations Idea Book.  What a fun day!  Thank you to all who came and looked, visited, created, and bought!

I do not have the cards and layouts that Patti created for the open house, but I do have some of the other cards to share.  These cards were made frantically for the open house.  Some are my original ideas, some I "stamp lifted" from the Internet and friends... thank you Pinterest!  I have acknowledged the original creator when I knew I was copying!  (I see so many beautiful cards on Pinterest, after a while I don't know what are my ideas and what are someone elses!)  The supply list, as I remember it, will be below the card/cards.

Supply list: "Brushed" paper packet, A1165 Capture the Day stamp set, black and white daisy card stock, hollyhock, pear and pixie stamp pads, and water brush.
.

Supply list: ""Chalk It Up" paper packet, D1608 Better with a Friend (hostess rewards stamp set), B1467 You Mean the World To Me stamp set, C1597 Rainy Day stamp set (Thank you, Gail!), and C1570 Lifting Spirits stamp set, Arrow embossing folder, Memento tuxedo black ink, black, white daisy and sorbet card stock, ShinHan Touch Twin Markers, VersaMark watermark stamp pad and white embossing powder.

Kathy G., my next door neighbor, made this top card.  I know!  Good job Kathy!

Supply list:: "Confetti Wishes" paper packet, D1627 Your Own Kind of Wonderful stamp set, D1529 Cricut Artiste Collection Birthday Cricut Collection stamp set, Triangle border punch, pacifica, white daisy, and canary card stock, pacifica, thistle, pixie, canary stamp pads, VersaMark watermark stamp pad and clear embossing powder.

Supply list: "Pathfinding" paper packet, C1504 Fall Harvest stamp set, B1467 You Mean the World To Me stamp set, C1600 Happy Birds stamp set, Z2023 Bling Gems Gold Assortment, Z1851 Scallop Border Punch, chocolate, white daisy, colonial white, kraft card stock, autumn terracotta stamp pad, VersaMark watermark stamp pad and white embossing powder..

Kathy made these cards, in addition to the Confetti Wishes card that is shown earlier in this post.  Another great job!

Supply list:  "Scaredy Cat" paper packet, B1429 Eek & Shriek stamp set, C1509 Magic Potions Stamp set, colonial white, kraft, and black card stock, Archival black stamp pad, VersaMark watermark stamp pad and silver embossing powder, Z1849 Bronze Shimmer Trim for the collar, Z1263 Bitty Sparkles for the eyes, Z1754 Sparkles, Black & Grey Assortment, and Z1921 Baker's Twine Neutral Metallic Assortment.

This card is a copy of a card created by Michelle Loncar, another CTMH Consultant.  It uses the "Seaside" paper packet, D1609 Seaside Greetings stamp set, desert sand and lagoon stamp pads, water brush, white daisy, lagoon and desert sand card stock,and a distressing tool.

Supply List:"Snowhaven" paper packet, white daisy and glacier card stock,B1455 Be Jolly Hostess Rewards stamp set,  Z1939 Basics Assortment of Paper Fundamentals, Z1925 Chevron embossing folder, Z1921 Baker's Twine Neutral Metallic Assortment,  Z1263 Bitty Sparkles, Z1754 Sparkles, Black & Grey Assortment.

Supply list: "Wanderful" paper packet, crystal blue and colonial white card stock, C1578 Camper Crazy stamp set.

Supply list: "Yuletide Carol" paper packet, ruby and colonial white card stock, C1559 Always Grateful stamp set, B1455 Be Jolly Hostess Rewards stamp set, Z2012 Sequins, Gold Assortment.

My goal was to make at least one card from each new paper packet... I succeeded (with Kathy's help)!

Stay tuned for a preview of the projects that we will make at SueAnn's party Thursday night!

Thursday night swing card...

If you are planning to come to card club this Thursday to make the swing card, and in case you want to bring your own inks, the Jubilee paper features the following colors... Cashmere, Cocoa, Colonial White, Cranberry, Honey, Indian Corn Blue, Kraft, Sweet Leaf, Topiary.  Which colors you use depends on which papers you choose.  Also black would be appropriate.  The stamp set that comes with the Jubilee WOTG will be available, and any of my sentiment stamps you want to use.  If you already have an idea, bring whatever you think you might use!

I have no cards to post... am getting ready for the Open House, and don't want to spoil the surprise!  Reminder that the Open House is Saturday, 10 to 5, at my home.  Patti and I are co-hosting!

See you Thursday!

Decisions, decisions!

Well, it looks like the 2 cards in my last post will be our projects tonight.  The highlighted technique will be heat embossing!  If you have gypsy and sunset ink, feel free to bring them (if you don't mind sharing)!  Don't forget your adhesive and scissors!

Playing with emboss resist...

I am trying to keep up and share as I go, so here are 2 cards I made this week.

This first card uses the August Stamp of the Month "What a Hoot".  I stamped the owl on a piece of 4" x 5.25" white daisy cardstock, then clear embossed the "happy 'Owl'oween" over it in a pattern, then sponged over it with sunset and gypsy ink.  I stamped the owl again on a piece of white cardstock, painted it using a water brush and gypsy ink, and adhered it over the owl on the card.  I turned it just a little hoping to imply motion.  The wings are stamped in gypsy, and the mask and orange are colored using one of the new markers.  I framed it with black cardstock on a white card base.  The mask, pumpkin and wings are fussy cut and adhered with foam dots, though you can't tell from the scanned image.

This second card also uses embossing, both wet and dry!  The piece of black card stock is embossed using the quatrefoil embossing folder.  The small center background piece was sponged with pixie, cotton candy, and thistle ink.  I then embossed flowers from the "A Blossom" stamp set in clear ink.  Then sponged more thistle ink over the entire piece.  The leaves are from the Lollydoodle WOTG stamp set and stamped in pear, the flower stamped in Pixie on white daisy cardstock, with glitter and a small black sparkle from the Sparkles Assortment black & grey. The flower is raised on a foam dot. The stamped background is framed in black cardstock, and pear cardstock.

Still have a few things started I am playing with, plus I will also be posting what we will be doing Thursday evening, July 24th.  Standby!

I'm off to our CTMH team meeting!

I'm preparing for our quarterly Close To My Heart team meeting... so excited to hear all the news, and see all the new products and hear about the recent CTMH Convention.

I made this card for the swap... and I'll be bringing back some of the artwork of the other consultants on our team!  This uses the Country Born stamp set, white daisy and cranberry card stock.  I used a water color brush and my cranberry, topiary, and desert sand ink pads to color the apple basket.

This is one of the cards we made in June... the background is embossed aluminum foil.  Directions for this technique are  from Greetings From Gail (select technique tab).  Stamp set is again "Country Born", with barn red and white daily card stock, and paper from the retired Dakota paper pack.

SueAnn reminded me of other cards we made recently... they will be posted shortly!

Happy stamping!

Thursday, July 10th!

I am preparing for our group tonight... Lynda is the hostess.  This is the last chance to order on Lynda's party!  Reminder to look at the retiring items, and also the items with price increases in the new catalog.

Here are the cards we will be making tonight!  These are techniques for making cards without b&t paper!

This first card uses the Paisley Perfect stamp set, which is carrying over to the new catalog.  Colors used: blush (retiring color end of July), cotton candy, cocoa.  Technique is "smack down".

Another example...

This next card uses the"Country Born" stamp set, again being carried over to the new catalog.  Ink colors used: sky (retiring color end of July), buttercup (retiring color end of July), topiary and black.  Technique is sponged background.

You are welcome to bring your own ink and/or stamps.  Otherwise, I have one of each, and we will be sharing.  If you bring your own, feel free to substitute colors!

Looking forward to seeing everyone tonight!

It's July already!!!

I can't believe I last posted in April... where has the time gone?  SueAnn asked me... "What happened to your blog?"  And I'm like... "I don't know!"  Guess I have not done it enough for it to get in my routine... I will try harder!

I have lost track of some of the projects we have completed, but will add what I remember!

This card was made using the jubilee paper pack, D1544 Distressed backgrounds stamp set, D1580 Catch you later stamp set, cranberry ink, and twine from one of the past ctmh catalogues.  Oh, and also used the scallop border punch.  Suggested greeting inside... "but the second mouse gets the cheese"!

This card was made with the babycakes paper packet using the slate card stock.  The squares were cut at 1 1/4" x 1 1/4", and opposite corners rounded.  The banner was cut out of buttercup card stock with the Artiste cricut cartridge.  The stamp used is from D1529 (Cricut Artiste Collection Birthday Cricut Collection).  This is a good way to use up some of the smaller pieces left from the paper packets.

I will try to do better about posting after our group meets, and will try to share more of the cards I make between stamping groups.

If any of you remember anything I missed, and still have the card, let me know and I'll post it!

Betty

Thanks for the lift!

I have been feeling lots of support from my friends... a thank you card for tonight's group sounded like a good idea!

This card uses card stock and b&t paper from the CTMH balloon ride paper set on colonial white card stock.  The stamps are from C1570  Lifting Spirits stamp set... ink used is saddle.  The border at the bottom is made using the CTMH scallop punch.  The techniques used are the sunburst pattern, and paper piecing.

Thanks for looking!

Skylark and Fundamentals Paper Fun!

This card was our project for Wednesday, April 16th.  I wanted to try something with the basic fundamentals paper, and the skylark b&t paper.  We embellished with the flower from the B1432 Love This stamp set, aqua dots, and bakers twine, all Close To My Heart.

Thanks for looking!

Are you ready for Easter?

Now is the time to get started on your Easter cards, if you haven't already!

At our Wednesday night scrap, we made this card.

Mine was the prototype, and is a little "imperfect".  The cards the ladies made, however, were exceptional! We used retired Chantilly b&t paper, buttercup, indian corn blue or hollyhock cs and inks (depending on which sides of the Chantilly paper were used).  We used watercolor pencils and waterbrush to color. Cutouts were done with Cricut Art Philosophy.  All of the cards made were different, with lots of different color combinations.  Was a fun evening!

Lynda shared some cards she made embossing and coloring on vellum.  SueAnn shared a card she made using the dry embossing technique.  Kathy shared a folded rosette she made from vellum that she had also edged using a punch, along with a beaded flower she had made.  All beautiful and well done!

March card workshop

Some friends and I got together to make cards Saturday... here are the cards we made!

The first card was an example of using card stock without a printed paper.  We embossed the card stock "by hand", and distressed the card stock.  The colors in this card are sweet leaf and cocoa, cocoa ink, and hemp baker's twine.  The stamp was from the February stamp of the month set, Wild About Love.

This card uses the Lollydoodle paper pack, and the stamp sets Love This and Cursive Birthday.  Ink colors used were slate and sorbet.  It is embellished with flamingo dots.

This last card is my favorite.  I started out with a totally different plan, but am happy with how it came out.  This used the Laughing Lola paper, buttercup and cotton candy card stock, and the bird is Laughing Lola purple. The images are from the You Are My Happy stamp set, a past stamp of the month.  The bases for the flowers were cut with the Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge.  Again, love those flamingo dots!

All products mentioned above are Close To My Heart!

It was a fun afternoon!  I love that I have such great friends to share my love of stamping with!

March 2014 Constant Campaign

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Studio Savings

March 2014 Constant Campaign

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*Offer valid March 1–31, 2014. Studio J layouts ship in a protected box that can hold from 4 to 50 two-page layouts. For additional information about shipping and handling, please visit StudioJ.com > Products and Pricing > Shipping Options.

Dates: Offer valid March 1–31, 2014.

Sign in to my CTMH website, click on PRODUCTS, then click on STUDIO J ONLINE SCRAPBOOKING.  Try it out!  There is no charge until you purchase the project.  (Note: Your login to Studio J is the same as your CTMH login.)

Here I am on the WWW!!!

My first post!

If you would like to purchase our great Skylark CTMH paper and coordinating products visit my website. 

On this St. Patrick's Day card I used Wild About Love, the February Stamp of the Month, and the new Skylark paper packet.  Ink colors are desert sand and sweet leaf.  Love the new quatrefoil embossing folder!