You're Loved

It is almost Valentine's Day!  I have to admit I've always wanted to be one of those "cool" people that went all out decorating for each holiday and transforming their living spaces to magazine worthy wonderlands. I have discovered I am not that person! But I do like to craft and even though I have more than enough loverly cards to choose from I can't help but make more!

Today's card has a base from Die Cuts with a View (DCWV).  I won a challenge over at Hiding in My Craft Room last month and received this totally awesome box of goodies from DCWV!  This card comes from their Baby collection but I knew I could transform it :) I used my Cricut to cut out the grey accent from the Artbooking cartridge from Close to My Heart.  I also cut the heart border out of Close to My Heart paper using the same cartridge.  Switching cartridges to the Close to My Heart Art Philosophy I cut out the cute heart and used a Close to My Heart stamp for the sentiment.  Add a little twine and voila!

The colors are a bit unconventional for a Valentine's card but that is just how I roll!  I was inspired by challenges at Hiding in My Craft Room, Simon Wednesday Challenge and CAS(E) this Sketch!

Thanks for stopping by!  Happy Creating!

Its a Scrappy Saturday!

My brother's birthday is coming up soon so I needed to make a card for him.  I decided to use the sketch challenge at the Unity Stamp Company blog along with the color inspiration.  I had stamped the WooHoo owl image as soon as I got my shipment from Unity and he was just floating around my desk unsure of what to be used for.  I was cleaning off a few things to start crafting and found him and thought he was perfect!  I know I've said it before but if you love cute owl stamps you need to go to Unity Stamp Co!

I decided to play with my Spectrum Noir markers some more.  I am still figuring out how to use them and have them look nice.  I am finding that I am woefully lacking the colors I want to use and wish instead of the brights I had gotten another set first.  Hopefully I can add some soon.  After coloring my image I had to use these cute black vinyl flags I picked up in Target's dollar spot.  Love that dollar spot!  I pulled out my Stampin' Up Whisper White craft ink pad and an older Stampin' Up stamp set for the sentiment.  I love this white ink but it takes forever to dry so you have to be really careful not to smudge it!

After digging through my scrap papers and adding a bit of Close to My Heart shimmer trim my card was done!

I really hope my brother likes it.  Even though it was a "boy" card I just couldn't resist the sparkle!  Thanks for visiting today!  If you want to play along with the challenges I used for inspiration follow the links:

Hiding in my Craft Room - Super Scraps Saturday!

Unity Stamp Company Blog - Monthly inspiration challenge

Simon Wednesday Challenge - Something New!

Happy Crafting!

CAS-ual Fridays

I just found this fun blog - CAS-ual Fridays. They host a challenge every few weeks so I thought I’d play along with the current challenge.  The challenge was to choose a word for the year and I chose the word “thanks”. One of the things I want to do this year is be more thankful and focus on my blessings not my lack. In that vein here is the card I created:

I used Certainly celery ink from Stampin' Up for the line stamp from Unity Stamp Co., Slate ink from Close to My Heart for the sentiment also from Close to My Heart.  I cut the banner out of the Art Philosophy cartridge with my Cricut and added a Heidi Swapp cherry and a bling brad from Making Memories. Super easy and super quick!

Thanks for stoppin’ by today!

Growing in Unity Day Two!

Welcome back and Merry Christmas Eve! Today I am using an itty-bitty stamp that I just got in the mail last week! The Charming Cone Flowers is one of my new favorite stamps!  After stamping in Stazon Black I used Close to my Heart ink in Hollyhock, Sorbet, Topiary and Buttercup to color the image.  I dug into my scraps to find the paper for the background.  I also used another sentiment from “Just Wanted to Say” (seriously one of my favorite kits!!!) to finish it off.

Did you know that Unity hosts a challenge each month?  They do!!  Head over to the Unity Stamp Co. Challenge Blog and play along.  I used the card sketch for December as my inspiration on this card. 

Thank you for stopping by today and be sure to leave a comment every day! One lucky commenter will win their choice of 2 itty-bitty stamps!  So fun!

Growing in Unity Day One!

I am so happy you are here! This week is my week to host “Growing in Unity” showcasing some of Unity Stamp Co.’s most amazing and fantabulous stamps! Seriously - I love these stamps!!

This week I am using images from two different sets - Just Wanted to Say and A Love Beyond Measure.  I was inspired by the amazing Maria Levine - one of Unity’s  ‘ippity chicks’.  In her video she shows how to do an embossed resist and I couldn’t resist (heehee) trying it! (click to see how she does it!)

I stamped the butterfly image from the “A Love Beyond Measure” kit with versamark ink and used B&J’s Art Stamps embossing powder in Mystic Fire on top. After heating it I used Inguilde Bolme chalk ink in Coltsfoot Stemens and Close to my Heart ink in Sorbet over top.  The sentiment is stamped in Stazon black from the “Just Wanted to Say” kit. The blue butterfly sticker is from Typo.

Thank you for stopping by today and be sure to leave a comment every day! One lucky commenter will win their choice of 2 itty-bitty stamps!  So fun!

HIMCR #100D - All that Shimmers!

All that Shimmers is NOT necessarily Gold!

Make it sparkle, make it shimmery!  Let's see those projects shine!  

This is the last challenge of the day!  We hope everyone has had fun celebrating  the HIMCR 100th challenge with us! 

The Sponsor for this challenge is Sherri from My Besties!  She has digi and rubber stamps!  Here's her link:  http://www.inspirationalbath.com/index.php

For this challenge giveaway she is donating 3 Rubber Stamps! Her Besties are really taking off!

For this challenge I used one of her free digital images - I Love you Pinkles.  This froggy is just so darling!  I used a sheet of glitter paper from Close to My Heart and my trusty Cricut Artiste cartridge to cut out the cute little crown to adorn her cute little froggy head! I also colored the image with Close to My Heart watercolor pencils.

I used my exacto knife to cut along the line of the eyes and the balloon so I could slip the crown underneath where it would fit better.  I also used a Close to My Heart stamp for the sentiment.

Make sure you head over to Hiding in My Craft Room and enter your creation to win the cool stamps Sherri is offering as a prize for this challenge!  Thanks again for joining me!!

HIMCR #100C - Use a Digital Image!

Our sponsor for this challenge is Naomi from Creative Bug Digitals.  She has some freebies so head over, pick one out and use it on your creation!  I chose this darling Girl with Flowers to create a card that I can later add a sentiment to for whatever occasion it may be.  I find it helpful to have a few "blank" cards on hand for that last minute card needing activity!

I used Close to My Heart inks and watercolor pencils to color my image. Don't forget to head to Hiding in My Craft Room and link us up!

Another Birthday Card!

We have a lot of people in our family so birthday cards will be popping up frequently.  There are 4 more people this month but I won't always post what I make :)

This card was made with the Cricut Artiste cartridge from Close to My Heart.  The card is cut at 5 1/2 inches and the pieces for the merry-go-round image are cut at 3".  The stamp is also from CTMH.  I used a piece of tape to mask one half of the saying so that I could put it on two lines.  Thanks for looking!

A Birthday Card

I have a nephew with a birthday next week so I whipped up this card for him this morning.  Everything was cut from the Cricut Artiste cartridge.  I used some Mystic Fire embossing powder and a stamp from Close to My Heart to create the rings effect.  Thanks for looking!

HIMCR #92 - Yellow, Green and Pink!

What a fun spring challenge! I have a few birthdays in April to send cards for so I decided that would be the theme. I used my Cricut Artiste cartridge to cut the banner and stamp with a Close to my Heart stamp.  The card is based on a sketch for my local scrapbook group's monthly challenge.  The picture doesn't show it too well but the yellow flower layer is embossed with mystic fire embossing powder and white Stampin Up pigment ink.

Glad you joined me today and I hope you'll head over to Hiding in my Craft Room and link us up with your creations! Carrie (an independent Close to My Heart consultant) has generously donated a prize for this week's winner so don't forget to link us up!

HIMCR #90 - Anniversary!!

Join me over at Hiding in My Craft Room this week and link us up with your "Anniversary" project - any project and any anniversary!  While you are there be sure to wish Laurie a Happy Anniversary!

I used the Sweethearts cartridge on my Cricut and pulled all the paper from my scraps (the Cricut Craft Room is perfect for making cuts on scraps that may not be a full sheet!).  I used a new background stamp that I picked up at a stamp expo last weekend along with Sorbet ink from Close to My Heart.

Thanks for joining me today!

We are Eternal

I wanted to participate in Mandi's Get Messy Challenge over at Scrapbook Challenges.  This really is a challenge for me because I feel like I can never execute an attractive looking 'messy' layout. I pulled out an old Heidi Swapp mask that I have had forever and mixed up some mist with my mister, Close to my Heart Create a Shade paint to give it a pearlescent look and some Making Memories paint in Poppy.  I like how it came out!

Using a sketch from Page Maps I was able to bring together this layout.  I found the letters in a bin I hadn't looked in for awhile - they are Basic Grey Obscure and they matched perfectly! It was kismet!  The stickers are Cosmo Cricket and the shapes were all cut from my Cricut - the Artiste cartridge and the Simply Sweet cartridge. I added a little grey washi tape and some itty bitty bling from Close to My Heart and voila!

HIMCR #86 - Use a Kit!!

Welcome back to Hiding in My Craft Room's challenge Saturday!  This week we want you to use a kit.  You know we all get a kit at some point, maybe we are part of a monthly kit club or maybe we just see a cute one and snag it but never use it or use it up.  Well this is the week to dig it out and use it!

For my layout I pulled out the remnants of a Close to My Heart Workshop on the Go kit.  This one was an Avonlea kit.  So everything you see other than the pictures (haha) is from Close to My Heart.

Be sure to head over to Hiding in My Craft Room and link us up!!

HIMCR #84 - Super Scraps Saturday

Yay! Its Super Scraps Saturday! This is one of my favorite challenges. I have a huge basket full of scraps and I love being able to use them up.  EVERY piece of paper this week came from my scrap basket - including the base! I had cut out a few small snowflakes on the grey base paper and so I had a mostly whole piece that I was able to use.  I positioned the strips to cover the cuts so you can't even tell from the front :) Even the ribbon was a leftover scrap from a roll that I had a long time ago!

Using my Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge I cut the stars and the best part is the scrap I cut from had large cuts on both sides but using the Cricut Craft Room software I was able to position the stars where the paper was still intact and then cut.  I love it!

Thanks for joining me today and be sure to head over to Hiding in my Craft Room and link us up!  This week our sponsor is Scrapbookpal.com and they have a sweet prize for one lucky crafter!

Chalkboard Technique - Challenge at Scrapbook Challenges

As part of their fun blog challenge hop they challenged us to create a chalkboard effect.  I LOVE this technique! It looks so cool!  I used black paint and painted a rectangle on my cardstock.  Then I cut out a cute frame from the Art Philosphy cartridge on my Cricut to dress it up.  Using a white craft ink pad from Stampin' Up and some Close to My Heart and Unity Stamp Co. stamps I added my words.  I just love it!  Head over to Scrapbook Challenges to see more inspiration and play along!

TPE #45 - Lift It!

I love the challenges at The Pink Elephant and I tend to forget to upload them after I do them so this week I'm getting it done right away so I don't forget! This week the challenge was to lift it - use another layout as inspiration.  I went to the gallery at Scrapbook Challenges and found this amazing layout by Mette.  I loved the placement and the clusters of fun ephemera so I just had to lift it.

These pictures were taken during our family photo shoot in Nov. 2012.  My kids are such goofballs and I love it.  I've been wanting to scrap them for a little while now but didn't have the right inspiration - until today! I pulled out some stamps from Unity Stamp Co - the background, flourish, the 'you color my world' phrase and the little ruler in the right corner.  The Eiffel tower stamp came from a little store called Typo (have you been there yet? oh I love it!) The other things are bits and pieces I had laying around my scrap area.  I added a little washi tape too.  I cut the word 'agents' from my Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge (seriously you must get this - I use it constantly!). The smaller letters are Bazzill stickers.

Thanks for looking! Be sure to head over to the gallery at Scrapbook Challenges to check out Mette's amazing layout and leave her some love!

HIMCR #81 - Tags!

Hi again everyone!  This week at Hiding in My Craft Room the focus is on tags.  I made a cute, simple tag with the word Love and then used it as part of my title on this layout with me and my sweetheart.  We celebrated 20 years last year and visited the temple where we were married.  I wanted to capture that moment and how much I love this crazy man of mine! Thanks for stopping by and be sure to head over to Hiding in My Craft Room to link us up!

letters, tag and cupid cut from Cricut cartridges - Simply Sweet, Sweethearts and CTMH Artiste

HIMCR #80 - Super Scraps Saturday!

Happy Super Scraps Saturday!  It is one of my favorite scrappy days of the week :-D I have a gazillion scraps - even though I cleaned them out just a few months ago.  I swear those scraps reproduce themselves when I'm not looking!

This week I needed a card for a special birthday next week.  I absolutely LOVE this Happy Birthday banner from the Cricut Close to My Heart Artiste Collection.  I cut the banner at 1 1/4" and the cupcake at 2" with my Cricut then stamped with the image.  Ink is from Close to My Heart as well - Topiary, Smoothie, Lagoon, Buttercup and Tulip.  The papers were scraps I found in my bin.  I added a little Frosted Lace stickles for some bling.

Thanks for looking and be sure to visit us at Hiding in My Craft Room to share what you've been creating!

HIMCR #78 - Freestyle Baby!

For our last challenge of 2012 you get to choose!  Lets see what you love and where your talents lie :) Its a freestyle challenge so use any supplies you want to create anything you want!

This week I finished a small mixed media canvas I've been planning for awhile.  It of course took on a life of its own when I actually got started.

To begin I used an old sewing pattern.  I tore a piece slightly larger than my canvas then glued it down letting it bunch and gather to create dimension.  After it dried (a few weeks later when I got back to it!) I painted the background a shade of blue and then looked at it some more and realized the pattern formed what looked like a tree trunk to me so off I went with it!

I sprayed the background with some shimmery mist made with the Create-a-Shade paint from Close to My Heart.  This stuff is fabulous!  You use the spray pen with a little water, a few drops of the paint and any re-inker ink to make your own glimmer mist.  I love it! (if  you'd like these fun tools for your very own click on the link for each and you can order them from my website!)

Once that all dried I used some craft white stamp ink from Stampin Up and a sponge to dab some white along the top and sides for 'clouds'. I used brown paint to define the tree branches and some green for grass.  I also used a grass stamp with two different shades of green ink to stamp over the paint when it dried.  Next I cut the leaves, ran them through my Xyron and then grouped them on the tree.  

I found this great sentiment in the Fall for You kit from Unity Stamp Co. It reads "laugh with your eyes hug with your soul and smile with your heart".  Using some more paint I painted the stamp and applied it to the canvas.  I really like how this came out and now I need to figure out where and how to display it!

Don't forget to head over to Hiding in My Craft Room to link us up with your creations!

Supplies used: Making Memories paints, create a shade paint from Close to My Heart, Cosmo Cricket butterfly stickers, Unity Stamp Co - sentiment, various green papers I had in my stash cut from the Plantin Schoolbook with my Cricut.

What I've been working on

My daughter is getting married on Saturday!  Eeek!  I've been busy making various tags and things for the wedding - including some centerpieces that I will share when I get them done!  I thought I'd share a quick picture of the tags I just finished today.

I printed off the lemonade graphic from marryyoume.com but the other two graphics I created using various digital papers and elements I have found over the last year or so.  I cut the backgrounds out of kraft cardstock using the Cricut Artiste collection.  The cards tag will be going on the cool birdcage I found at Home Goods to use for cards and then to put up in my kitchen above the cabinets after the wedding!  I used the Cricut Artiste to cut all the elements.  You can't see it well but I also made up a mist with the CTMH create-a-shade pearl paint and some grey flannel ink in their spritzer.  It looks cool.  Eventually I'll add a ribbon and bow but that will be after I figure out how I'm attaching it to the cage.  I'll post pictures from the actual reception next week!

Please excuse the shadows.  The lighting in my office isn't great.