Highlight the Details - CTMH Technique Blog Hop

Welcome to the CTMH Technique Blog Hop! This month there are 12 of us creating art using some type of highlighting as a technique.  This blog hop is a great big circle so you can start wherever you want and continue through to see all the fabulous artwork incorporating embossing techniques.  If you are coming from Catherine Nowak, you are on the right track!  If you get lost, MELISSA has a list of everyone on the bottom of her blog.

highlight

verb (used with object), high·light·ed, high·light·ing.

• to emphasize or make prominent.

• to create highlights in (a photograph or engraving).  

(OR as in our case, in cardmaking and scrapbooking.)

The eye is naturally drawn to the blackest blacks and whitest whites in an image. So most effective use of a highlight will be where a naturally bright spot is created, with a splash of color or the absence of color. Highlights are a compositional element of a picture to create impact.  

For this card, I used a "watercolor" technique to create a splash of color.  I inked a smooth nonporous surface and stamped some thistle ink and added water. I applied the ink with a watercolor brush and stamped the sentiment in Intense Black. The paper I used is Feels Like Home.  I'm traveling (actually in Singapor.e -17 hours ahead of the PNW where I live), and have very limited supplies, no Sugar Plum ink,  though did have the small Thistle ink pad, so was surprised that the color is good with the Feels Like Home paper. I actually didn't need to match the colors since I only used the green leafy paper from the pack.  I added a few silver glitter gems.

The stamping was all from the stamp of the month - love the combination of the Feels Like Home with the flowers and butterflies of the Love So Sweet.  

Now hop on over to Miss. Carrie's Creations to see what kind of fabulous highlight techniques she's created.  Be sure to drop a comment, we enjoy the encouragement. I hope you enjoyed this hop.  If you see items you would like to purchase, contact your CTMH consultant or you can shop HERE.

April SOTM Blog Hop - Love So Sweet

Welcome to the April SOTM Blog Hop

Love So Sweet:  An amazing set of 26 stamps which could be yours for only $5 - keep reading. 

 It will be fun to see stamping inspiration found on this hop. 

If you came here from Kathy Burrows blog you are on the right path! The blog hop is a great big circle, so you can start here and work your way all around.  If you get lost along the way, you’ll find the complete list of participating consultants on Melinda’s Blog: HERE.  This month we have approximately 17 Close To My Heart Consultants sharing their creations using the April SOTM and other great CTMH products on their blogs.  This is simple to do - just click on the link at the end of the post on each blog to move to the next one!  

Here we go!

I found a "new" special fold called the Joy Fold Card. 
This one is built from a Z-fold with the Joy Fold added.

Measurements for this card:

Base: 11 x 4 ¼  scored at 2 ¾ & 5 ½ on the long edge.

Patterned paper (Feels Like Home X7243B) cut at

2 ½ X 4 for "Z" panels  and 5 ¼ X 4 for the inside of the card.

Joy Fold insert cut at 2 ¾ X 7 ½ scored on long side and fold at 3 ¾

Charcoal CS (cut 2 at 2 ½ X 3 ½) & Sugarplum SC (Cut two at 2 ¼ X 3 ¼)

Embellished with the flower stamped in Sugarplum and leaves with Sage.  Sentiments are stamped in Charcoal. Small butterflies stamped in Sugarplum, medium butterfly stamp with charcoal ink on sugarplum card-stock.  Shimmer brush in sugarplum was added to the center of the top fussy cut flower and topped with three sugarplum gems. Finally, I used white twine (retired) and wrapped it around  the first section of the z-fold, still available are the  white and gold twine and the white and bronze twine. The twine works great to tuck and hold down the joy card, though not really needed, mostly an embellishment.

KeepKeep l

Now "Hop" on over to Katy Taylor's blog

Katy Taylor

Katy Taylor

Katy Taylor

Katy Taylor

to see her inspiring work!  Be sure to visit all the consultants at their blogs to get some great crafting ideas!  Please leave a comment, we love your encouragement.  Remember, the April SOTM is only available until April 30!  Contact your CTMH Consultant (or click here) to see how you can get this stamp set at a discount!