Seasonal Expressions 1 2019 New Product Blog Hop

Have you gotten your hands on the new Close To My Heart Seasonal Expressions 1 Idea Book?  Better yet, have you gotten your new goodies to play with?  We're featuring our favorites from the new collections on this blog hop.  (If you're already hopping, then you've probably arrived from Melinda's blog.  From here, you'll visit Gina's blog next.)

The Something Fierce collection isn't just for little kids!  I used it to showcase some of my daughter's marching band pictures, and I love how they look with this color palette.

My layout design is based on the Make It From Your Heart, Vol. 3 Pattern 18.  (I am planning on having my daughter write her own journaling since this layout is going in her senior year album.)

In addition to the Something Fierce complements, I added some gray gems for a little subtle bling.

Here are two cards I've made with the Something Fierce collection:

You definitely feel the dinosaur jive with this birthday card featuring the January stamp of the month, Card Captions.  (Learn more HERE.)

My second card uses the Year of Sweetness stamp set and was given to my cousin for his first birthday.  (Learn more HERE.)

Thank you very much for letting me share some ideas with the Something Fierce collection.  Believe it or not, it's not even my favorite collection of this Idea Book!  I am really looking forward to playing with the other papers featured this quarter also.  Be sure to visit all of the bloggers on this hop for lots of inspiration.  Please leave a comment before going to visit GINA'S BLOG next.

{Click HERE for all the hop participants and their blogs.}

Crazy for Complements! (CTMH Technique Blog Hop)

The CTMH Technique Blog Hop group is Crazy for Complements, and you will be, too!  Complements are beautiful artwork and embellishments to take your crafty projects to the next level.  (If you're already hopping then you've arrived from Judy Faye's blog.  You'll visit Darlys's blog next.)

My Sophomore Year layout uses not one but TWO sets of Complements: the NEW Hello Lovely Complements paired with the School 7-12 Complements.  You'll see how I paired them up in the close ups below.  I used quite a collection of products to show off my beautiful daughter's 10th grade school picture.  I started with Kraft bases to which I added 11"x11" squares of the gold polka dot vellum from the Uptown Fundamentals paper collection.  The gold and white band across the bottom is also from that paper pack.  The pale pink paper is from the Hello Lovely paper suite, which the black mattes are from the retired Swan Lake paper.

 The star is from the School complements and the ribbon, flower sticker, and gold arrow 3-D sticker are from Hello Lovely.

 Here is the right page.

 The School chipboard heart nestled inside the 3-D Hello Lovely heart, well, beautifully!

 The chipboard pieces are from the School Complements, but the sticker and ribbon are Hello Lovely.

 The gold glitter gems are also part of the Hello Lovely collection and can be purchased in a small pack or they come with the Hello Lovely Workshop Your Way.

Thanks for letting me show you how well different Complements can work together and for showing off my beautiful daughter.  Be sure to go see how crazy DARLYS is for Complements!  (Be sure to leave some compliments along the way too!)

Seasonal Expressions 1 Blog Hop

No, you're not seeing double!  I am participating in a second Seasonal Expressions 1 blog hop with another group of talented Close To My Heart consultants.  You're going to love new ideas with lots of new products!  (If you're already hopping, then you've probably arrived from Erika's blog.  From here, you will visit Melissa next.)

My daughter and her friends are turning 16, so I wanted to make a fun card for the most recent birthday girl.  The Sugar Rush paper suite features this cute patterned paper with ice cream on one side and doughnuts on the other.  I made the party "table" with the ice cream side: On the Sea Glass card stock base, I pleated a 12" strip across the bottom.  The table top is a strip that I folded in half lengthwise to give it more dimension.

This pretty cake and stand were cut with the CTMH/Cricut Flower Market cartridge.  I added a strip of aqua and a strip of white Shimmer Trim to dress up the cake.  The 16 "candles" are also cut with the Flower Market cartridge.  I used my clear Shimmer Brush to add a little sparkle to the candles.  Finally, I made the party pennant with the journaling pen and silver sequins.

Thanks for hopping by!  I would love a comment before you head off to check out Melissa's beautiful Seasonal Expressions 1 project.

Holiday Expressions New Product Blog Hop

Have you seen the new Holiday Expressions Idea Book?!?  In it you'll find fabulous seasonal paper pack collections for your fall and winter crafting.  (If you're already hopping, then you've probably arrived from Melinda's blog, and you'll go to Lela's blog next.)

 For this hop, I am featuring the Oh, Deer! collection.  I made (from left to right) a gift card holder, a standard-sized side-fold card, and a 3"x3" card.  I also made a very non-holiday card with the Oh, Deer collection, the new CTMH/Cricut Flower Market cartridge, and the additional of Thistle card stock and ink.

Read more about this card HERE.

Now for the festive cards!  First up is a gift card holder.

 This gift card holder was cut from Ruby card stock with the (retired) CTMH/Cricut Artiste cartridge.  The deer head and medallion were cut with the CTMH/Cricut Artistry collection.  The band and medallion frame were cut with Desert Card Stock and tied with the twine included in the Oh, Deer Workshop Your Way.  I stamped the Swirling Stars stamp set in White Daisy on the card front.

For this standard, side-fold card, I random stamped the bells from the A Little Jingle stamp set  (M1147) in Whisper, Desert Sand, and Sea Glass.  On a 1.25" White Daisy square, I gold heat embossed the sentiment.  I also heat embossed the bells in gold and silver then cut out to accent the sentiment.  This card sketch is from Make It From Your Heart, Volume 2.

 That pretty star is from the Oh, Deer Workshop Your Way embellishments.  I also added a strip of silver shimmer trim.

My final card uses the pine cone cut from CTMH/Cricut Artistry collection.  The pine cone base is Cocoa card stock, and the needles (top layer) are Juniper.  I used the direct-to-paper technique to add White Daisy ink to the Juniper pine needles.  When that dried, I painted on the needles with the new clear Shimmer Brush.  The White shimmer trim is not included in the Oh, Deer Workshop Your Way (but the twine is!).  I embellished this card also with white epoxy gems from the white and gray collection!

Thanks for stopping by!  I hope that you're getting into the holiday crafting season.  Visit Lela's blog next!

Click HERE for all the hop participants and their blogs.

H2H Challenges: Transportation

This week's Heart 2 Heart Challenge is the theme challenge TRANSPORTATION.  The first thing that came to my mind was our youngest getting her learner's permit recently!

This layout uses the new Magical collection found in the current Seasonal Expressions catalog supplement.  I actually made this in March when Close To My Heart came to Atlanta.  I will finish the right side page with some pictures of our new driver manning the wheel in our various vehicles.  She is doing a great job so far!

Be sure to visit H2H to see how our Design Team interpreted this challenge.  You have all month to play along with any of the May challenges, so get crafting!

Oglethorpe Visit

Our older daughter is thinking about attending Oglethorpe University in Atlanta for college starting this fall.  We absolutely loved it when we spent a day there recently as she participated in a scholarship competition.

 The layout uses the Charlotte Workshop Your Way collection, but I made up my own layout design.  I also added gold shimmer trim.

 Even though this isn't a pocket scrapbooking layout, I used the preprinted Picture My Life cards from the Charlotte WYW on a traditional layout.

We really think that Oglethorpe will be her home for the next four years!  We both loved it when we visited, and it felt like a great fit.  I'm glad I took lots of pictures to commemorate this special day.

CTMH Watercolor Blog Hop

Have you tried your hand with Close To My Heart's wonderful watercolor products?  (We have paints and pencils.)  This blog hop will give you some amazing tips to use this products.  (If you're already hopping then you've arrived from Priscilla's blog, and you'll visit Jeanie next.)  I decided to create a layout with our watercolor paint and the March stamp of the month, Sunshine Birdies.

Since I am thinking spring, I used the Penelope paper pack and Creative Insider layout sketch.  I changed it though to use 3" squares on the right page.

I must thank the fabulously artsy Tresa Black for the idea to watercolor directly onto a block and then "stamp" the paint.

You may notice that on this page I cut down one of the small Picture My Life cards to make a 3" square.  On the left page, I trimmed down one of the large cards to make a journaling bloc.

I had fun watercoloring the stamped images.

Thanks for checking out my layout featuring our watercolor paints.  I'd love a comment before you leave.  Go see what Jeanie has made to inspire us next!

Click HERE for all the hop participants and their blogs.

H2H Challenges: Party Animals

The final February Heart 2 Heart Challenge is "party animals!"  Isn't that a fun theme?  Since we haven't had any wild and crazy parties lately, I decided to create a card with the Close To My Heart February stamp of the month, Balloon Animals.

Isn't this a fun card?  I used the new Penelope paper pack with its bright, springy colors of Crystal Blue, Honey, Pear, Pixie, and Thistle.  (Well, I didn't actually use Pixie on my project.)  I started with an 8"x3.5" Crystal Blue card base and a sketch from Originals.  Each square measures 1.75", so each balloon animal is partly off the square.  I alternated them left-facing and right-facing with my B&T panels in rainbow/ROY G BIV order.  I think the purple shimmer trim, blue epoxy gems, and green triangle embellishments add a little sparkle without too much bulk.

Be sure to check out all of the H2H Designers' projects this week.  You have until the end of the month (Leap Year!) to link up to ANY of the H2H February challenges, so please join us, and happy crafting, you party animals!

You're My Type Card

Happy Valentine's Day!  Neither Hubby nor I put a lot of stock in Valentine's Day, so I thought I would share this friend card that I made with the Share the Love stamp set paired with the Charlotte collection.  (This one is going to my daughter.)

This card was for my watercolor class.  You can see that I painted the background of my focal image with watercolor paint.  I also stamped the typewriter a second time on a scrap of White Daisy (in Slate) then stamped the message in black.  I cut out the typewriter paper and adhered it to the stamped watercolor background.  This card is design is a sketch from Make It From Your Heart.  I had fun stamping the arrows on the background.

Have a very happy Valentine's Day, friend!

Seasonal Expressions 1 Blog Hop

Have you seen all the cool new products in the Seasonal Expressions Close To My Heart Idea Book supplement?  I am not sure that I can choose a favorite!  You won't have to either as you follow this blog hop for tons of great ideas!  (If you're already hopping, then you've arrived from Brenda's blog.  If you're starting here, thanks!  You'll visit Tammy next.)

When I saw the new Regatta Workshop Your Way scrapbooking kit, I knew it would be perfect to scrapbook our recent cruise photos.  I began by creating the three scrapbook layouts and pocket page basically according to the workshop directions.  The kit includes Complements, Puffies, and ribbon!  Then, I began using the rest of the kit for more pages.  The title page, above, is on the back of the "happy place" layout below.

 The "Adventure at Sea" pages use the back of the page above and the pockets from the pocket layout spread.

My pocket layout is almost identical to the guide.

For the "You Are Here" layout, I customized my photos to the basic design.

To make my photos fit the "explore" layout, I added flip flaps to the left page.  Also, I added White Daisy card stock to stretch the pack even further.

Layouts aren't the only thing you can make with the Regatta Workshop Your Way kit!  It includes instructions for 8 cards (requiring additional card bases), and I added a 9th with my scraps.  I used the cute new Beach Days stamp set with the Regatta kit.  For most of the pairs, I created one according to the guide but added watercolor paint to the other.

The Beach Days stamp set coordinates with cuts on the CTMH/Cricut Artistry cartridge.

 Here's my bonus card.  I had to use that cute octopus!

Thanks for stopping by and hanging with me through the end!  Be sure to leave a comment and then continue on to TAMMY'S BLOG to continue the hop to see more great ideas.

Click HERE for all the hop participants and their blogs.