October Stamp of the Month Blog Hop featuring CTMH Holiday Warmth and Tutorial for making Sparkle Brads

Welcome to the October Stamp of the Month blog hop featuring Close to my Heart's "Holiday Warmth" set! To continue hopping through the circle, simply click on the link at the end of this post.

When I saw this Christmas stamp set all I could think of was Dr. Seuss. The tree looks like it stepped right out of How the Gringch Stole Christmas so I decided to go with that thought and create a sparkly Dr. Seuss inspired card! I've used lots of White Daisy embossing powder and prisma glitter for shimmer and shine - in person the tree is almost holographic with sparkles including homemade Sparkle Brads! There is a quick written tutorial at the end of my post on how you can create some of these for yourself!


Close up showing the tone on tone Citrus Leaf snowflakes on the card base.

Close up trying to capture the sparkles! I've done spots all over the tree with my glue pen and added Prisma glitter to the tree. The Baby Pink brads have also been coated with some glitter as well - tutorial near the end of this post.

Materials Used:

Stamp set: Holiday Warmth
Paper: Citrus Leaf Cardstock, Clover Meadow Cardstock, Baby Pink Card Stock, Jingle Level 2 paper pack
Inks: Citrus Leaf, Baby Pink
Other: White Daisy Embossing Powder, Baby Pink Brads, Blush Ricrac, Prisma Glitter, Clear Detail Embossing Powder

I hope you've enjoyed visiting my blog today! Make sure you order YOUR Holiday Warmth set during the month of October and get a head start on your Christmas projects! For complete details of Close to my Heart's Stamp of the Month program (the stamp is discounted with purchase) visit my website HERE!

HOW TO MAKE GLITTER BRADS:

1. Mix Prisma Glitter and Clear Detail Embossing Powder (50/50 mix).
2. Using tweezers, push the top of your brad into your Versamark embossing pad.
3. Dip your brad into your Prisma/Embossing Powder mix.

4. Slowly heat with your heat gun until embossing powder melts.

5. While brad is still hot you can dip it back into the Prisma/embossing powder mix for an extra layer. Use your heat gun to melt additional embossing powder.

6. Carefully set aside to cool for a minute or two before placing on your project.

Now put on your frog feet and hop on over to Nancy Ball's site to check out her artwork! I can't wait to go through this hop and see all the wonderful artisitc creations from my fellow Close to my Heart consultants!

October Stamp of the Month Blog Hop Participant List

Round 1
Jena DeVries
Helen Onulak
Linda Shewchuk
Kristie Herdener
Sheila Bennett
Cibele Glazer
Barbra Otten
Melissa Laverty
Carla Ironside
Nona Davenport
Deb Young
Terrie Dodd
Alanna Moses
Antoinette Herrin
Jamia Bankhead
Karen Norman
Beth Naumann
Brae Montgomery
Kathleen Androlewicz
Tanya David
Tammy Lea Pinchard
Chris Shouse

Round 2
Debra Van Patten
Lori Leng
Nancy Brown
Krista Ritskes
Katy Donaldson
Pamela O'Connor
Jen Rubio
Haley Dyer
Michelle Nist
Jen Patrick
Kimberly Smith
Sylvia Jacquot
Sarita Schraeder
Dawn Ross
Laurie Newton
Kami Welter
Wendy Kessler
Jessica Booth
Lori Brown

Barbara Harris

Round 3
Judy Burger
Paige Dolecki
Nancy Ball
Adeline E. Brill
Cindy Leek
Carol Taggio
Jody Gustafson
Wanda Riley
Jill Lucas
Susan Brooks
Dawn Heuft
Shannon Pelletier
Laurie Levnik
Caren Goldsein
Brenda Harmless
Amy McVey
Traci Godbee
Maricar Harris
Pam Klassen
Misty Jackson

Going Batty Halloween Card with Close to my Heart's Beware Stamp Set

I went batty for this set when I saw it! I just knew it would look awesome embossed on black card stock. I did some sanding on both my Black cardstock as well as the Honey 2.5" circle before doing the embossing. The bat on the circle has two of the tiny sparkles for eerie glowing eyes - ooooohhhhh (said in a spooky voice)!

Materials Used (all Close to my Heart unless noted):
Stamp set: Beware
Paper: Black Cardstock, Honey Cardstock
Other: Silver embossing powder, Black embossing powder, Sparkles, Black grosgrain ribbon

Alien Monster Halloween Card with CTMH Merry Monsters

I made a series of these cards - 4 to be exact - using all 4 of the adorable guys from "Merry Monsters". I'm gald I finally found a use for this Cuttlebug folder - the skin like texture works great for these monster cards! I'm loving the eyeballs covered with a big fat dollop of liquid glass - very spookish!

Materials Used:

Paper: Black, White Daisy, Orange, Citrus Leaf and a generic color close to Dutch Blue

Stamps: Merry Monsters, October Word Puzzle (stars), Happy Haunting (retired)

Inks: Black, Dutch Blue

Other: Gold My Accents (retired), Gel Pens, Nestabilities, Cuttlebug

Update on Monster Pencils

Another just-had-to-share kind of thing. I volunteered in Devin's classroom today (2nd Grade) and the Monster Pencil project I sent in for his birthday last week was a big hit. Some of the kids still had their monster tags on their desk and about half the kids were using the pencils we handed out! So if you are looking for a classroom give out or a Halloween non-candy give out give these a try!

Belt Testing Last Night....

Just a quick personal note tonight. Last night was belt testing for my two oldest kids and myself at DMW Martial Arts and Fitness. My two oldest were credit testing (the higher the belt the longer it takes to achieve them) as they've been at this much longer than I have. I'm now a blue stripe belt. I've been training for 1 year now and I'm both proud of myself and having an absolute blast! My kids were suitably impressed when I did an inside block to break a thick board (about 1" of wood). Yep, momma is learning how to be a butt-kickin' chic!

Cute ghostie halloween card with CTMH Boo-tiful and Haunted House Halloween Embossing Folder

I have a confession to make, I am a halloween nut. I just love the season and the holiday - the pumpkins, the fall foliage, giving out treats, decorating the house - as long as its CUTE halloween and not scary I love it! This is one of the cards I made for sending to family this year. It features the haunted house Cuttlebug embossing folder paired up with the adorable ghosties from the unfortunately retiring "Boo-tiful" A size ($10.95) CTMH stamp set. I love this little set and used it on lots of goodies last year and highly recommend people add it to their tool box before it is gone! These little guys are so stinkin' cute!

Materials Used:
Paper: Black Cardstock, White Daisy Cardstock (card base), vellum (for the ghosties)
Stamp: Boo-tiful
Other: White Daisy embossing powder, gel pens

Alien Boy Birthday Card with CTMH Merry Monsters

I was having so much fun with the gift-pocket card I created I just had to make several more! This hilarious one has the alien from our "Merry Monsters" set colored in with gel pens. I put a big dollop of Liquid Glass on his eyes and they are WICKED COOL in person! Even my hubby thought this was a rockin card! The inside of the card says "I hope your birthday is out of this world!" The pocket will be perfect to hold a gift card!

Materials Used:
Stamps: Merry Monsters
Inks: Orange, Dutch Blue
Paper: White Daisy, Orange and a generic similar to Ocean (using up old stash)
Other: Liquid Glass, Cuttlebug embossing folder, Gel Pens

Pop Rockin' boy birthday card with CTMH You Rock and Numbers Solo 8

This card has been kicking around in my head for a while but I couldn't find Pop Rocks ANYWHERE! When I finally found some my 8 year old began a 2 month effort to get a package but I kept telling him it was for an "art project". Okay, so I'm a bit sneaky with birthday surprises! This card was a HUGE hit - not only did he love it because it looked totally cool (his words) but it has a surprise package of Pop Rocks tucked inside! I loved this card so much I made several variations you'll be seeing over the next few days. Its a great style for putting little chocolate squares inside, adding a gift card, putting in tickets to the game, etc.

This card has a large 8 from our wonderful "Numbers Solos 8" set that has been pop dotted and covered with Liquid Glass for some extra shine. I also added a frame of Liquid Glass dots on the black matting for a bit of extra flair. The cardstock is all solid color but stamped in coordinating ink with the paint-splash stamp from the "You Rock" set. It gave the carstock a very cool tiedye kind of effect.

Materials Used:

Stamp Sets: You Rock, Numbers Solos 8

Inks: Dutch Blue, Citrus Leaf

Paper: Black, White Daisy, 2 generic CS that match pretty well to Dutch Blue and Citrus Leaf (using up some old stash)

Other: Liquid Glass, Star punch

CTMH Merry Monsters Pencil Topper Gift for Classmates

Not long ago when your kid had a birthday you would bring in cupcakes for them to share in the class or some other nice little treat. My kids LOVED doing that and were very sad when our schools instituted a healthy snacks only policy - which cracks me up as the fruit gummies that people would hand out had way more sugar, perservatives and color dyes by far than a batch of my home made triple chocolate cresents or spiced pumpkin muffins.

This year I found some awesome monster pencils at Target in the dollar section in packages of 10 so they became our classroom hand out for my youngest child. I cut a 3x4 piece of cardstock and ran it through the Cuttlebug with an embossing folder that looked like monster skin to my kids. We added a cute tag with one of the adorable monsters in the Close to my Heart Merry Monsters set (just $13.95 for a set of 4 with some halloween sayings too - this is one of my favorites from our new Idea Book), stamped out Happy Birthday and the number 8 - because its great to be 8 - and VOILA! one wicked cool gift item to hand out that works for boys AND girls. Devin was very excited about his gift and it only cost me $3.00 an a little bit of time one night to make them! Gotta love great gifts at great prices!

Materials Used:

Paper: old stack of generic cs from years ago in colors similar to Dutch Blue and Citrus Leaf and White Daisy CTMH

Stamp sets: Merry Monsters, Solos Number 8, Happy Birthday

Inks: Dutch Blue, Orange

Other: Watercolor Pencils, Blending Pen, Cuttlebug, Nestabilities for white tag, gel pens to add some glitter to the number 8 and the monster's eyes. star punch

Thank you to all my local friends who came...

Wow, I'm tired but so happy! We had a wonderful open house last night with lots of my crafty friends checking out the latest and greatest from Close to my Heart! There was a scavenger hunt, a cute card make-and-take (posted below), raffle prizes, preview of upcoming workshops, lots of new products, new art work and a sweet parting gift for all who came. Lots of prep work but so worth it to share all the fun stuff with you fabulous ladies!

My very favorite aspect of my business is the opportunity to get together with these wonderful women on a regular basis and meet even more great gals through Creative Classes, workshops and open house celebrations. Hope you'll be able to join the fun next time!

CTMH Twitterpated Kit - Make and Take for Fall Open House

Don't you just LOVE this adorable little hedgehog? Just too cute! This is the make and take card we will be doing at my Fall/Winter open house on Friday, 11 September at 7PM!

If you are one of my local friends just send me an e-mail (paigedolecki@yahoo.com) or give me a call (425-260-6965) to RSVP for this fun event! We'll be making this adorable card, having a raffle full of fun prizes, previewing the upcoming workshops, eating some tasty snacks and best of all - getting a copy of the new Fall/Winter Idea Book from Close to my Heart!

Can't wait to share all the new goodies with you all!

CTMH Treasures Stamped Card

This is a very simple stamped card I made with the September SOTM "Treasures" for a friend. I love the curled sentiment "those who bring sunshine into the lives of others cannot keep it from themselves" - how appropriate for so many of the wonderful giving people in our lives!

The larger purple flowers on the left side show first, second and third generation stamping and the butterflies are stamped directly on the card and then an extra set was stamped, cut out and pop dotted on top for extra dimension. Fast, simple and sweet - my favorite kind of card!

Products Used (all CTMH):
Paper: White Daisy Cardstock
Stamps: Treasures (September SOTM), Butterfly Kiss
Inks: Hydrangea, Clover Meadow, Sunflower, Dutch Blue
Other: Sparkles