The Everything ABC's Blog Hop - letter G

Welcome to the Everything ABC's Blog Hop!

For this hop we will be featuring the letter I.  

This may be the name of a paper, a stamp set or an embellishment.  

Whatever the crafter has chosen as their I element 

will be featured in their post.

If you came from Linda Norman, 

then you're on the right track!

I cannot wait to see all the I inspired expressions of creativity. 

My I inspiration, INSTANT cards - Nothing but PML

Your next stop on our Everything ABC's blog hop is  Diana Saunders of Farmer Di Stamps . Catherine Nowak  also has a complete list of participants in case you get lost!

The Everything ABC's Blog Hop - letter F

Welcome to the Everything ABC's Blog Hop!

For this hop we will be featuring the letter F.  This may be the name 

of a paper, a stamp set or an embellishment.  Whatever the crafter has and

 chosen as their F element will be featured in their post.

If you came from Lauren Moore's  - CTMH Crafting Blog, then you're on the right track!

I cannot wait to see all the F inspired expressions of creativity. 

For my F inspiration, I decided on a Fun Fold Card that adds a girly pleated Fold Feature to a card Front.  
Some call it the skirt fold others call it a drapery fold.  
You can find tutorials on Splitcoast Stampers and  on Song of My Heart Stampers.

I'm adding a very Fast, Fast, Fast, Fun Fold card. 
Just cut a square at 4 inches, fold each corner to the center and back to the edge again. 
Add some stickers with foam tape plus a zip strip with thick twine and staples and you have
another Fun Fold Card.

Your next stop on our Everything ABC's blog hop is Stephanie Feist of Quilted Scrapper.

In case you get lost along the way...go to Catherine Nowak for a complete list of participants!

CTMH Watercolor Blog Hop

For the March CTMH  Technique Blog Hop, we are featuring watercolors or watercolor pencil techniques.  If you are coming from Wendy Kessler  you are on the right track.  In case you get lost, you can get a complete list of participants  HERE. This month we have approximately 30 Close To My Heart Consultants sharing their creations using water color techniques along with a variety of our great CTMH products. To enjoy this hop is quite 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 this idea on Pinterest called "watercolor lifting" by Jennifer McGuire.

This techniques uses watercolors, clear heat embossing and then lifting out the "unprotected" watercolor background.  First, create a bold watercolor background on watercolor paper. After it dries, clear heat emboss images on the water-colored area.  Add water again over the images and "lift" the color away.  Anything under the embossed images stays the same and the background around it is lightened.  EASY!                                                                      

I also added watercolor around the sentiment, so that the colors blended better. 

The Thistle stamp and stark White Daisy needed to be adjusted.

Close up of the embossed images.

 

I used CTMH watercolor paints, White Daisy CS for the card base 5 1/2 by 4 1/4, Penelope PaperPaket (Thistle),  Watercolor Paper,  Sparkles, Thistle Extra ThickTwine,  Banner Wishes B1438, Woodland Romance D1683 and clear embossing power.

Now, hop on over to Gina Brandstetter's blog to see what kind of fabulous art she's created.  Be sure to drop us a comment, we enjoy the encouragement. Enjoy the Hop!,

March SOTM Blog Hop - Sunshine Birdies

Welcome to our Stamp of the Month Blog Hop!  We will be featuring March's SOTM, which is Birdies , a set of 11 stamps.  If you have come here from Brenda Lapp , 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 38 Close To My Heart Consultants sharing their creations using this month's 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 used the Penelope paper and complements, some watercolor paints, bitty sparkles 

purple shimmer trim and thistle extra thick twine tacked down with a mini staple.

Now "Hop" on over to Lauren Moore of CTMH Craftings to see her work! Be sure to visit all the Consultants at their Blogs to get some great crafting ideas and other fun ideas! Remember, the March SOTM is only available until March 31!  Contact your CTMH Consultant (or click here) to see how you can get this stamp set at a discount!

The Everything ABC's Blog Hop - letter E

Welcome to the Everything ABC's Blog Hop!

For this hop we will be featuring the letter E.  This may be the name 

of a paper, a stamp set or an embellishment.  Whatever the crafter has

 chosen as their E element will be featured in their post.

If you came from Lauren Moore's  - CTMH Crafting Blog, then you're on the right track!

I cannot wait to see all the E inspired Expressions of creativity. 

For my "E" inspiration, I used the "E" key from Artfully Sent pg 13 
and the Sentiment icon cut at 5 1/2 to create an  
Extra Easy Card. using Eggplant CS from the Enchantment CS Combo Pack

It's a 10 min. card!  The sentiment was backed with the Eggplant CS ~ no stamping. 

Loving how Easy it is to make cards with the CTMH Cricut cartridges.

Want a little bit more?  Cut some flowers Artistry pg. 11 plus Fern Thick Twin  for leaves, 

the flower centers are sparkles colored lavender with a ShinHan marker.

Your next stop on our Everything ABC's blog hop is Tonya Whitehurst of Heart and Soul Scrappers

In case you get lost along the way...go to Catherine Nowak for a complete list of participants!

Technique Blog Hop - Kissing Is For Stamping

For the February CTMH  Blog Hop, we are featuring the Stamp Kissing Technique.  If you are coming from  Priscilla Gotham's Blog  you are on the right track.  In case you get lost, you can get a complete list of participants at the bottom of Melissa's blog. This month we have 11 Close To My Heart Consultants sharing their creations using the stamp kissing technique along with a variety of our great CTMH products. To enjoy this hop is quite 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! 

 

Of course kissing is for romance, love and Valentines; so this technique is a perfect match for February.  If you have never seen this technique used before, you can google the technique on "You Tube" or just go directly to Tresa Black's tutorial. The Stamp Goddess has a very thorough demonstration of several stamp kissing techniques, such as: naked kissing, reverse kissing, small stamp kissing, two color/dirty kissing, same color-two tone,and kiss and twist,  -.Click here for her demo.

Here's a quick example - so simple, smack and you've made it uniquely yours.  

I used the back side of the butterflies from Your Beautiful Self B 1516 and inked solid Thistle and kiss and twisted the top and bottom butterflies with Pacifica using Seasons of Thanks D1604.  The middle butterfly has the same ink though the flowers are from Assorted Edges D1635 and not twisted.  It's been fun getting smoochie with ink and stamps.

Now, hop on over to  Tammy Lubick's blog - Scrap Stamp Share  -  to see what kind of fabulous stamp smoochen' she's created.  Be sure to drop us a comment, we enjoy the encouragement. Enjoy the Hop!

Share the Love Blog Hop

Welcome to our Share the Love Blog Hop!  We will be featuring February's Constant Campaign which is Share the Love, a set of 13 stamps. CTMH will donate $7 of the proceeds of this stamp set to Operation Smile, an amazing organization that provides surgeries to repair cleft lips and palates for children all over the world!  If you came here from Donna Digby 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:  http://ifyoublingit.blogspot.com/p/stamp-of-month-blog-hop-list.html.

This month we have  approximately 26 Close To My Heart Consultants sharing their creations using this month's Constant Campaign "Share the Love" stamp set 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!

Charlotte Paper Pack
Coral Shimmer Trim
Sorbet CS and Ink

Added some coral reef sequins.  

I thought they weren't available, but discovered they are still available while supplies last on your consultants'  website -  you can "shop" and find them on the clearance page at a reduced price. 

Now "Hop" on over to Lauren Moore of CTMH Craftings to see her work! Be sure to visit all the Consultants at their Blogs to get some great crafting ideas and other fun inspiration!  Remember, that Share the Love is only available until February 29!  Contact your CTMH Consultant (or click here) to see how you can get this super stamp set AND donate to a great cause.  

Check out our social media channels all month long to see this stamp set in action, and remember to post your own artwork using the hashtag #ctmhsharethelove to help bring attention to a wonderful and worthy cause. Blog  instagram  twitter facebook pinterest, & YouTube

February SOTM Blog Hop - Balloon Animals

Welcome to our Stamp of the Month Blog Hop!  We will be featuring February's SOTM, which is Balloon Animals, a set of 13 stamps.  If you have come here from Wendy Kessler, 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:  http://ifyoublingit.blogspot.com/p/stamp-of-month-blog-hop-list.html.

This month we have  approximately 39 Close To My Heart Consultants sharing their creations using this month's 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 used liquid glass to make the balloons shine.

 The paper is Kaleidoscope

I added some green shimmer trim 

The balloon "string" is a  thin strip of gypsy paper, the bow is a few strings from the whisper  thick twine

I inked circles on the gypsy pattern paper bokeh style with White Daisy ink

Add a zip strip from the Kaleidoscope paper and other pattern paper top wth silver sequins topped with clear sparkles and colored with ShinHan Lavender.

Now "Hop" on over to Brenda Lapp of Crafting for Sanity? Or Insanity? to see her work! Be sure to visit all the Consultants at their Blogs to get some great crafting ideas and other fun ideas! Remember, the February SOTM is only available until February 29!  Contact your CTMH Consultant (or click here) to see how you can get this stamp set at a discount!

The Everything ABC's Blog Hop - letter C

Welcome to the Everything ABC's Blog Hop!

For this hop we will be featuring the letter C.  This may be the name 

of a paper, a stamp set or an embellishment.  Whatever the crafter has

 chosen as their C element will be featured in their post.

If you came from Wendy Kessler's - My Scrapbooking Blog, then you're on the right track!

For my "C" inspiration, I love my Cricut Cartridges and the sound of Cutting with the 

Cricut machine.  I'm a Card maker and so the inspiration I Concocted for this hop is a 

Cute Cricut Cut Cake Card. 

I cannot wait to see all the C inspired Creations. 

Love how quick and easy it is to make cards with the CTMH Artfully Sent cartridge.

The "Happy Birthday" sentiment is from one of the Art Philosophy stamp sets (D1497)

Also loving the Charlotte Paper Packet.

Your next stop on our Everything ABC's blog hop is Tonya Whitehurst of With All My Heart & Soul Blog

In case you get lost along the way...go to Catherine Nowak for a complete list of participants!

Seasonal Expressions 1 New Product Blog Hop

Welcome to the CTMH New Product Blog Hop!   We will be featuring items from the new Seasonal Expressions 1.  If you have come here from Jacquelin Green's 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, the list of participants can be found HERE

This month we have approximately 31Close To My Heart Consultants sharing their creations using new items from Seasonal Expressions 1 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 chose to work with the Penelope Workshops Your Way kit (G1106)  

It makes 4 layouts, and there are also instructions for cards.  

 I just opened the packages and in 30 minutes had a 5 X 7 card of my own design.  

Using the choices of papers, compliments, Washi tape and puffies.

Kit Contents

1. G1106Workshops Your Way™ Penelope Kit (includes):
2. 1 – Penelope Paper Pack
3. 1 – Penelope Complements
4. 2 – Cardstock Sheets
5. 1 – Limeade Washi Pack
6. 1 – Playful Puffies

Each workshop has Picture My Life Cards. The back of this view repeats each card in a second view.  If this side is horizontal, the other side has the same image in a vertical view. 

The sentiment is from this month's Stamp of the Month

Now "Hop" on over to Kirsten Jade's Blog to see her work! Be sure to visit all the Consultants at their Blogs to get some great crafting ideas and other fun ideas! Remember, the items in Seasonal Expressions 1 are only available from January through April 2016. Contact your CTMH Consultant (or click here) to see how you can get these products!

Texturizing Techniques

These are four fun ways to add some texture to our art.

Looking forward to crafting next week at the FIRS Conference Center Bellingham

Wednesday though Sunday 

1-20-16 through 1-25-16

click here for details.

Crafting with great friends, it's the best!
will post the results of all the new techniques I'm exploring.

Everything ABC's Blog Hop - letter B

JUST TOO BUSY............

BUSY BEE.....................

I missed The Everything ABC'S Blog Hop - Letter B , 

but do have a Bee Buzzing in my Bonnet 

and it's the Bokeh technique.

The hop list is found on 

Catherine Nowak's Blog