Welcome Home Wreath Kit

This month's Constant Campaign is a beautiful wreath kit. This is easily one of the best campaigns Close To My Heart has ever done. It is easy to put together and is beautiful when it's done! You can get your own kit by purchasing it for $18.95, or you can get it FREE when you place a $60 order. Here is a list of items I used to make my wreath:

Z679 – Liquid Glass – 6.95
Z1382 – Tweezers – 5.95
Z697 – Round Sponge – 1.25
Z726 – Sponge Daubers – 4.50
Z1795 – Quilling Tool – 7.95
Z2045 – All-Purpose Mat – 19.95
Z3316 – Shimmer Brush Gold – 4.95
Z2895 – Lagoon Exclusive Inks Stamp Pad – 7.95
Z2810 – Blossom Exclusive Inks Stamp Pad – 7.95
Z2850 – Fern Exclusive Inks Stamp Pad – 7.95

This is what the kit looks like before it's assembled:

I chose to ink the roses using Blossom ink. I found that it worked better to use a sponge (cut into quarters) rather than the ink daubers. I used the ink daubers to ink all the succulents and leaves. To get a realistic looking rose, it helps if you curl the edges of the rose outward before you roll it. I also softened the cardstock by bending it along the straight edge before I started rolling it. After I roll the rose, I let it unwind a bit and arranged it before using the Liquid Glass to glue it down. 

I love the result! Here's a helpful video on making the flowers:

This kit is only available until the end of January (or while supplies last), so order soon if you'd like to have one of your own. 

Just Breathe

This idea popped into my head earlier this week and wouldn't let me rest until I completed it. It ended up differently than I envisioned, but I love the result! My job can be stressful at times, and the song "Just Breathe" by Anna Nalick often runs through my head on very hectic days. I wanted a little reminder to take a breath and keep myself from getting overwhelmed. It also allowed me to experiment with watercolors!

I originally envisioned a square of watercolor paper attached to a small canvas (6x6) I had.

I drew a circle with a pencil on the watercolor paper because I wanted to do a resist technique by heat embossing the words and making a watercolor circle over it. Don't draw with pencil first - it won't erase after the paint is applied. Lesson learned.

I used White Daisy pigment ink to stamp the words then sprinkled super fine clear embossing powder over the ink. I heated it with my craft heater until the letters were nice and shiny. I really love this fun alphabet, Handwritten Print. It has both uppercase and lowercase letters - very fun!

The next steps was to break out the CTMH watercolors, watercolor paper,  and our fabulous waterbrushes! 

When I discovered that I couldn't erase the pencil marks, I decided to adjust the plan and cut out the circle. The background needed something a little more exciting, so I broke out the washi tape and made a fun background on cardstock! 

I attached the washi tape background to the 6x6 canvas (retired) and used 3D foam tape to add the saying, plus some bling (of course!). The completed product is now hanging in my office, reminding me to Just Breathe!

Rediscover CTMH - You Make Me Happy Canvas (Surprised it's not a card??)

After I made several cards using the free download from CTMH, I decided to go a different direction. Using a 6x6 canvas and a new paper packet (Laughing Lola), I made this fun little canvas display. I love the black glitter paper behind the paper to give it a little shine and sparkle! The ginormous bow was just because I could - haha! Isn't it fun?

Happy 4th of July!

I celebrated America's freedom by creating a canvas to display around the patriotic holidays. I used the stamp set Home of the Brave that is offered through July 31. $5 from the sale of every one of this stamp set will be donated to the USO in support of our troops.

I had so much fun making this! I stamped the fireworks directly on the 6x6 canvas and discovered that the stamp scrubber with the lid on fits perfectly into the canvas so I could stamp in the middle with a decent image. I used pigment ink for the most vibrant colors. The flag and the Statue of Liberty were stamped on cardstock then cut out and adhered to the canvas using 3-D foam tape. If you're stamping directly on the canvas, be sure to check where the sawtooth hanger is on the back. Don't make the mistake I did and have it on the side rather than the top. Oops! ~ Oh, well! 

Items used:

Stamp set: Home of the Brave

Inks: Pigment inks - Honey, Ruby, Outdoor Denim, Slate

Embellishments: Outdoor Denim Chevron Ribbon, Red Glitz Glitter Gel, Silver Glitz Glitter Gel, My Creations 6 x 6 Canvas Display, 3-D Foam Tape

July Constant Campaign - Work the Workshop!

Get the discounted Workshops on the Go® canvas art kit (G1062) in July—no qualifying purchase required! From July 1 to July 31 you can get this trendy kit to create your own canvas art to hang in your home, regularly priced at $39.95, now discounted to $19.95—more than 50% off! Take papercrafting to the next level with this adorable home décor piece that you can display for all to see. Join my online party to order this kit and any other items, including those retiring at the end of the month. Order early - these kits will sell out quickly!

*Offer valid July 1–31, 2013, while supplies last. No qualifying purchase needed. No limit per order. No refunds or adjustments on product already sold.

Wedding Hinged Display Tray

I made a hinged display tray using my daughter's wedding pictures for me to take to work. She liked it so much that I decided to make one for HER to take to work. I'm so happy with the way it turned out! These display trays come together so quickly. The smaller openings are sized exactly for wallet-sized photos - quick and easy!

The medallion is made using the Perfect Fit - Frames stamp set and the Monogram S stamp set from CTMH. All patterned papers are by Teresa Collins (Carolina Breeze). We used the scrapbook paper under the cupcake stands for centerpieces at the reception. Amazingly, only one page got damaged, so I'm using it for the wedding scrapbook and other projects. 

Come unhinged!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Thanks for counting down with me! Here is my grand finale - the display tray. I apologize for the quality (or lack thereof!) of the picture. It's late, and the lighting is not great. 

I used a variety of papers and stamp sets. I tried to add a little bling to every section. My secret with this board? I fastened each section in using our little hook and loop circles! I will be able to switch out the sections each season. Happy Valentine's Day!

Countdown to Valentine's Day - Day 11 - Mailbox

One of the things I love the most about the Artiste Cricut cartridge is the option to make so many 3-D items like this mailbox. It was SO easy to make. The pieces are sized so they work together based on the size you select; you don't have to figure out how big to make the flag, for example. I selected the mailbox at 3"; the flag and tab were sized accordingly. Super easy! I cut out two mailboxes then cut out the front on the second mailbox for a contrasting paper on the front of the mailbox.

Who wouldn't want to receive this filled with sweet treats! 

Items Used: 

• Cricut Artiste Collection
• Paper: La Belle Vie (retired)

Countdown to Valentine's Day - Day 7: Muslin Drawstring Bag

How's this for a little bag of sweetness? It is filled with kisses (Hershey's).  

I whipped up this project in no time thanks to our brand-new My Creations Muslin Drawstring Bags. They come in a set of 3 bags (4" x 6") for $3.95 and take ink really well. I used Hollyhock and Cranberry pigment inks which work great on fabric! Be sure to slip a piece of cardstock inside the bag before stamping to prevent bleed-through. The stamp set is retired but is one of my favorites. After the ink dried a little, I blinged it up with some Bitty Sparkles.  What's Valentine's Day without a little bling?

Remember to add your Valentine's Day party to the link below! 


If you'd like some more tips and ideas on using the muslin bags, enjoy the video below:

Countdown to Valentine's Day - Day Six: Treat Tube

Another fast project - this one using our new Treat Tubes (available soon) and the Cup of Cheer stamp set. I created a band around the tube (and should have photographed it better) using the coffee beans stamp. The tube is filled with coffee for a little gift.

Countdown to Valentine's Day - Day Four: Card Box

I'm crazy about the Love notes! I covered a My Creations Card Box with Smoothie cardstock. The top was decorated with the Love stamp matted with a Smoothie heart cut on Artiste. A little bling was added using Silver Shimmer Trim, Sparkles Clear Flourishes - Small, Pixie Glitter Alphabet, and a Shimmer brad (retired). So easy!

The cards came together really quickly. I used the Love stamp on a White Daisy square matted with Smoothie. The cards fold on top, so I wrapped the card with Slate Satin Polka Dot Ribbon, which I gathered on the side with a piece of Smoothie Baker's Twine. It took a bit of creative placement to get all four cards to fit neatly in the box, but they do fit! I hope you enjoy this project and add yours to the countdown!

Countdown to Valentine's Day - Day Two

Wouldn't you love to receive this cute little milk carton filled with sweet treats? The milk cartons come in a set of two and are plain so you can decorate them just as you'd like. (They also come flat for easy stamping.)

I used the stamp set from Whooo's Your Valentine to random stamp the entire carton. The cool thing about acrylic stamps is that you can put several on one block to make the random stamping very quick and easy. I cut a band from Ruby cardstock then stamped the hearts on the white band. My Artiste cartridge helped me make the medallion. I finished it off with one of my favorite new-ish embellishments: Silver Shimmer Trim. It is self-adhesive and goes on quick and easy. I even cut a little snip of shimmer trim for the clip at the top of the milk carton. 

Be sure to add your creations to the collection!

   

                              

Wedding Display Tray

I got to play with some of the new products in the upcoming Spring/Summer Idea Book, and I have to say - I'm in love! There are some gorgeous products, and I'm having so much fun creating! I have been wanting to do something special with some photos of my daughter's wedding, and this weekend I created this little display to take to work. It came together really quickly, and I am so pleased with the result!

I used some new products: the 5 x 7 Hinged Display Tray, For Always paper, and some new sparkles. All of these products will be available 2/1. The paper roses and leaves are made using the Artiste Cricut cartridge. Love! For some visual variety, I raised some of the photos using 3D foam tape.  

The opening sizes on the display tray are 5 x 3 1/2 inches (large opening) and 2 1/2 x 3 1/2 inches (small openings). I see lots of gifts in the future using this little gem!