My favorite time of the year...

Tonight is a big night for me.  I've already told my husband that he is getting up with the kids tomorrow morning to get them off to school because Mommy is going to be staying up late glued to her computer checking out the consultant preview of the new Summer 2010 Close to my Heart Idea Book!  One of the things I love about CTMH is that we get a whole new set of additional products every 4 months which keeps things fresh and fun!   New workshop kits (my favorite), new stamp sets, new paper packs and stickease, new tools and new accessories!  I just hope my business budget can take it!

The good news for you?  I'll be posting sneak peeks of products in about two weeks!  I won't give away the whole shebang because I know you love surprises just as much as I do but a few projects made with some of our scrumptious new products will whet your whistle for whats to come!  I'm already getting excited for my next open house - do I hear Stamp Bucks Auction in the air?!?

Groovy Bright Teen Card

This is probably one of my favorite color combinations - Citrus Leaf, Ocean, Orange and Black.  If I'd wanted something a bit more girly I would add in some pink but my daughter is more of a blues and greens girl than pink.  Just this morning my youngest (8 yrs old) was telling me how when he grows up and gets a girlfriend he'll want her to be like this sister - pretty but not girly, smart and focused on school, fun and must like video games.  All I can say is that whoever my boys decide to marry, that girl will have some big-sister shoes she'll have to fill.  I just love how much my boys love their sister!

The center of the flowers have a little "ball" of orange sassy strands rolled up and adhered with liquid glass.  I've also given some liquid glass shine to the word "groovy" and the little blue flowers.  Liquid Glass is just one of those must-have products.  I even use it to fix toys for my kids!

Materials Used:

Paper:  Black CS, White Daisy CS

Stamps:  Groovy (retired but I love this one!)

Inks:  Ocean, Citrus Leaf, Black

Other:  Liquid Glass, Sassy Strands (retired)

New Journal with CTMH Veranda and A Tweet

I just love these new journals from CTMH!  They have a clear protective cover that you slip your artwork behind instead of adhering to a cardboard cover.  Not only does this protect what you've made but it also makes it easy to change out your cover if you'd like.  Its sized at 5x7" so it is perfect for a photo too!  What a great gift item these will make!  Wouldn't it be cute on your desk with a photo of the kids?  How about making it into an address book?  A running To Do list?  That's how mine will be used! 

This design was inspired by another CTMH consultant.

Materials Used:

Paper:  Veranda Level 2

Stamps:  A Tweet

Inks:  Cocoa, Creme Brulee

Other:  Bitty Sparkles, Chocolate Mini Medley (retired but the Copper Mini Medley would work great too!)

Cheerful Masculine Window Birthday Card with CTMH Everyday Celebrations and the Cuttlebug

Here's a cheerful masculine birthday card I made the other day.  I attached the Moonstruck cardstock to the front of my card base and then punched through both layers to make a window.  Boy was that hard getting the punch to go through two layers - next time I'll use a Nestie instead!  Then I sent the front through the Cuttlebug with my Birthday folder....

...centered the cake stamp through the window and stamped.  Next I opened up the card and added the sentiments.  To finish it off I added a bit of liquid glass to the candle flames and the cake icing and (just because I am very fond of orange) added a ribbon to the front!

Materials Used:
Papers:  Moonstruck Cardstock, White Daisy Cardstock
Stamps:  Everday Celebrations Stamp (from a promotional kit we had last September)
Inks:  Clover Meadow, Moonstruck, Chocolate, Sunflower Marker
Other:  Liquid Glass, Orange Ribbon (Michael's Crafts), Provocraft Birthday Folder

Blooming Garden Action Card with CTMH Damask Tiles, Smiles and Butterfly Wings

This card has a hidden surprise behind the front panel....

a flower garden blooming!

The flowers are attached to a side bar which you pull up and down with the metal tag on the side.  When you slide the bar up the flowers "bloom" from the top of the card.  Isn't that super cute???

Materials Used:

Paper:  Heavenly Blue Textured CS, White Daisy CS

Stamps:  Damask Tiles, Smiles, Butterfly Wings (former Stamp of the Month special)

Inks:  Crystal Blue, Sorbet, Creme Brulee, Tulip, Sweet Leaf

Other:  Tiny Tabs

Shaped Piece of Cake Girl Birthday Card with CTMH Intrinsic Backgrounds

This is the "sister" card to the chocolate frosted cake card I posted yesterday.  This one uses Baby Pink cardstock that is overstamped with our Intrinsic Background trellis pattern and the chocolate cake is using the floral pattern.  After I assembled the card I went over the trellis pattern with liquid glass (just following the lines without too much precision) to give the cake a bit of glam.

A better shot of the liquid glass shine.

Materials Used:
Paper:  Baby Pink CS, White Daisy CS
Stamps:  Instrinsic Backgrounds
Ink:  Hollyhock, Chocolate
Other:  White Daisy Mini Medley (flower brads), White Daisy Ricrac, Just Blooms Paper Flowers

Shaped Slice of Cake Card with CTMH Grace Paper Pack

I just love how our Grace paper pack looks like chocolate frosting and the reverse of the paper looks like yellow cake!  Doesn't this look yummy enough to eat?  Mmmmm....I'm thinking my kids might be getting cupcakes tomorrow for a treat!

Materials Used:
Paper:  Grace Level 2
Stamps:  Tiny Typewriter for the sentiment
Ink:  Twighlight
Other:  Colonial White Ricrac, Pearls (former Connection Club reward)

Veranda Family layout with CTMH Veranda Basic Kit and Friendship Alphabet

I just love the colors in our Veranda paper pack as they have such a vintage feel.  This layout features the stamp set that comes with the Veranda Basic Workshop kit.  I've used the set to make the paper flowers on this layout - some are stamped directly on the layout and some are trimmed out and then layered.  Don't you just love the little hummingbirds?

Materials Used:

Paper:  Veranda Level 2, Colonial White Cardstock

Stamps:  Thinking of You (included with the Veranda Basic Kit), Frame of Mind, Friendship Alphabet

Inks:  Cocoa, Juniper, Creme Brulee

Thinking of You with Color Me Monday Challenge and CTMH Veranda Kit stamp, Gracious Greetings

I'm really enjoying the Color Me Monday challenges found on Jeanette Lynton's website!  This unusual combination made for a wonderful spring colored card!  The first photo doesn't show much of the Pearl paint I added to the edges of the card for some vintage softness.  This photo shows the shimmer much better:

I've used a tiny bit of Creme Brulee cardstock as "thread" inside the buttons. 

Materials Used:
Paper:  Key Lime textured CS, Heavenly Blue textured CS, Creme Brulee CS, Holiday Creative Basics retired (Ponderosa Pine roses - I made these earlier as a test and decided to use them even though they weren't olive), Caboodle Level 2 (Heavenly Blue roses)
Stamps:  Veranda's Thinking of You from the Basic Kit, Gracious Greeting
Ink:  Olive
Other:  Pearl Paint, Spring Craft Buttons, Martha Stewart Butterfly punch, Martha Stewart Corner punch

Baby Girl Card with CTMH Boutique Borders, Sweet Baby and Building Block Alphabet

Here is the "sister" card to yesterday's baby boy card post.

Materials Used:

Paper:  Unforgettable Level 2, White Daisy CS

Ink:  Blush, Creme Brulee, Chocolate

Stamps:  Boutique Borders, Sweet Baby, Building Block Alphabet

Other:  Creme Brulee Ribbon

Baby Boy Card with CTMH Boutique Borders, Sweet Baby, Building Blocks Alphabet

This very sweet baby boy card is done in Crystal Blue, Sweet Leaf and Chocolate - a wonderful palette for boy items.  I love how the Sweet Leaf green really softens the color scheme.

Materials Used:

Paper:  Sweet Home Level 2, White Daisy Cardstock

Stamps:  Boutique Borders, Sweet Baby, Building Block

Ink:  Crystal Blue, Sweet Leaf, Chocolate

Other:  Basic Brads

Free Standing Pop Up Card for St. Patrick's Day with CTMH Lucky You and So Lucky

I've seen this free standing pop up card style floating around and thought it would be fun to give it a try.  I used Jeanette Lynton's Green With Envy color palette from her Color Me Monday post this past week to create a fun St. Patrick's Day card.  (See her artwork here.) 

Here is the card folded up for mailing...

and here it is when you pull the tag to pop it out into a free standing card...

Close up of my little dancing leprechaun - isn't he an adorable fellow?

Close up of the stand portion of the card.  I've taken the clover image and done some random stamping on the Topiary cardstock to give the stand a bit of pizazz.

Materials Used:
Paper:  Emporium Level 2 (Sweet Leaf pattern), Holiday Creative Basics (Ponderosa Pine - backside of one paper - retired), Sweet Leaf Cardstock, Topiary Cardstock
Stamps:  So Lucky, Lucky You (retired), Connections (pattern on circle at top)
Inks:  Ponderosa Pine
Other:  Watercolor Pencils, Sweet Leaf ribbon, Ponderosa Pine Brads (retired)

Word Blocking Technique Picture Tutorial using CTMH Thank You

After making my Anniversary card yesterday I thought it might be good to post a quick picture tutorial on the Word Blocking Technique in case its something you haven't come across before.

Word Blocking Technique Picture Tutorial:

1. Select block that is large enough to hold several acrylix stamps.  I like a square block as its easy to rotate.

2. Place stamps (words and/or images) closely together varying the directions until the entire block is covered. Here I show a 4x4 block (I used that size because I wanted the big THANKS in the center)

3. Stamp image in the center of the card to start (you can also start in one corner).

4. Fill in the remaining areas by rotating the block 1/4 turn each time you stamp.

5. Remember to stamp off the page with partial images to completely fill the front of the card.

6.  You can either use the card as is for a very quick and simple card or you can use it as a base for further embellishment.

Materials Used:

Paper:  White Daisy, Dazzling Diecuts in Honey and Outdoor Denim (former promotion)

Inks:  Honey, Outdoor Denim

Other:  Liquid Glass

Word Blocking Anniversary Card using CTMH Feb Word Puzzle, Love Always and Dazzling Diecuts

This is the simple but sweet anniversary card I made for my husband this year to celebrate our many years together.  We met on his 21st birthday when he was already a good sheet to the wind.  After a night of celebrating with his college buddies I'm surprised he remembered me the next day.  True love was swift as we were engaged just a few months later and have now been together for half his life and a little over half of mine.  When my kids ask me what the most important thing is to find in a person I always answer a good sense of humor as that will get you farther as a couple than anything else!  Here's to 21 years of laughter and support through the tears.

Here is a close up showing the liquid glass detailing I did - I picked out I love and U as the only items on the front to get liquid glass.  The small hearts in I (heart) you have a bit of pink watercolor pencil in them for some shading.

Materials Used:

Paper:  Desert Sand, White Daisy

Stamps:  February Word Puzzle (retired), Love Always

Ink:  Desert Sand, Blush

Other:  Liquid Glass, Watercolor Pencils, Basic Brads, White Grosgrain Ribbon, Blush Dazzling Diecuts (former promotion)