Stamp of the Month Blog Hop -- Bloom & Grow

Welcome to the January Stamp of the Month Blog Hop!

If you came from visiting Melinda Everitt, then you are in the right place.  If you just happened upon my little corner of the blog world, simply start here and continue hopping until you return here -- our fun hop is one big loop for your viewing pleasure. 

The month's featured stamp set is S1801 Bloom & Grow (pictured below).  This set is only available until January 31 and is only $5 with a $50 Close to My Heart purchase.

As we all reflect on the new year and many of us sets our goals and resolutions for the year to come, it's important to remember change takes time and nothing can happen overnight.  This month's SOTM is full of inspirational quotes perfect for sending some encouragement to a friend or loved one.  Who wouldn't feel inspired when receiving a card like this?

Supplies used:

*Bloom & Grow stamp set (December SOTM)
*Chelsea Gardens -- Cardmaking stamp set
*12" x 12" Charcoal cardstock
*12" x 12" White Daisy cardstock
*Vellum paper
*5 1/2" X 4 1/4" white cards & envelopes, value pack
*Archival Black Exclusive Inks stamp pad
*Glacier Exclusive Inks stamp pad
*Sweet Leaf Exclusive Inks stamp pad
*Watercolor pencils
*Cream ribbon
*Black & White dots

To order these or any of our other fabulous Close to My Heart products, please visit http://jddesigns.ctmh.com.

Thank you for visiting me at {jd designs} and for hopping with us on the Close to My Heart Stamp of the Month January Blog Hop!  Next up on the hop is Gina Brandstetter. I hope you'll hop on over to her blog for more inspiration.

Until next time, design with {heart}!

Cricut You Are Here Collection Blog Hop

Welcome to the Cricut You Are Here Collection Blog Hop!

If you came from visiting Brandi Robinson, then you are in the right place.  If you just happened upon my little corner of the blog world, simply start here and continue hopping until you return here -- our fun hop is one big loop for your viewing pleasure. 

This hop features inspiring projects created using the newly released You Are Here Cricut Collection.  I absolutely LOVE this new collection!  While on the surface, it looks like a travel-themed collection (which it definitely is!), there are lots and lots of great images and titles that can be used for so much more than just travel-themed projects.  Think holidays, school, sports, weddings, everyday life, etc. etc.  AND as always the cartridge includes a great font.  If you have not checked out this new collection, what are you waiting for??  You will LOVE it!!

In the spirit of thinking outside the box and beyond the intended theme of the collection, I chose to make a Christmas layout with the fun holiday images from pages 22 and 23 of the handbook.  (To view the complete You Are Here handbook, click here.)  I also used a great sketch from Splitcoast Stampers.  I love these sketches because they give dimensions for each of the paper layers.

Supplies used:

*You Are Here Cricut Collection
*Beary Christmas paper packet
*Beary Christmas Picture My Life cards
*12" × 12" Cranberry cardstock
*12" × 12" Fern cardstock
*12" × 12" Glacier cardstock
*12" × 12" New England Ivy cardstock
*12" × 12" White Daisy cardstock
*Enchantment ribbon pack
*Beary Christmas dots
*Silver shimmer trim
*Marvy Uchida LePen journaling pen

To order these or any of our other fabulous Close to My Heart products, please visit http://jddesigns.ctmh.com.

Thank you for visiting me at {jd designs} and for hopping with us on the Cricut You Are Here Collection Blog Hop!  Next up on the hop is Jean McNulty. I hope you'll hop on over to her blog for more inspiration.

Until next time, design with {heart}!

Stamp of the Month Blog Hop -- A Little Bit of Pun

Welcome to the December Stamp of the Month Blog Hop!

If you came from visiting Krista Hershberger, then you are in the right place.  If you just happened upon my little corner of the blog world, simply start here and continue hopping until you return here -- our fun hop is one big loop for your viewing pleasure. 

The month's featured stamp set is S1712 A Little Bit of Pun  (pictured below).  This set is only available until December 31st and is only $5 with a $50 Close to My Heart purchase.

For today's project, I combined the trendy mermaid stamp from this set with the fun papers in the Bats & Cats paper packet.  I love how the Emerald color makes the mermaid tail look like Ariel's tail from The Little Mermaid.  To color the tail, I used my Emerald ink pad along with my small water brush.  By squeezing the top and bottom of the closed ink pad case, you can transfer ink from the actual ink pad to the inside of the lid -- giving you a perfect painting palette.  If you have never tried this quick & easy watercolor technique, you really should.  It's one of my favorites!

The card pattern comes from the free Basics Fundamental 64 Card Workshop Pattern CTMH shared on its blog a few weeks ago.  This great workshop shows you how to cut 22 out of 24 sheets in any of the Fundamentals paper packets to create the layering pieces for 64(!) cards.  The card patterns are so versatile, you can easily use them with other paper collections to create quick & simple cards like the one I have below.  To view the blog post and download your FREE copy of the workshop, click here.

Supplies used:

*A Little Bit of Pun stamp set (December SOTM)
*Cats & Bats paper packet
*12" x 12" White Daisy cardstock
*Silver foil paper
*5 1/2" X 4 1/4" white cards & envelopes, value pack
*Archival Black Exclusive Inks stamp pad
*Emerald Exclusive Inks stamp pad
*Waterbrush -- small round
*Clear sparkles
*Bitty sparkles

To order these or any of our other fabulous Close to My Heart products, please visit http://jddesigns.ctmh.com.

Thank you for visiting me at {jd designs} and for hopping with us on the Close to My Heart Stamp of the Month December Blog Hop!  Next up on the hop is Alyson Mayo. I hope you'll hop on over to her blog for more inspiration.

Until next time, design with {heart}!

Just for Fun Blog Hop

Welcome to the Just for Fun Blog Hop!

If you came from visiting Priscilla Gotham, then you are in the right place.  If you just happened upon my little corner of the blog world, simply start here and continue hopping until you return here -- our fun hop is one big loop for your viewing pleasure. 

This hop features lots of wonderful inspiration using the amazing Fundamentals collection -- on sale this month only for 30-40% off!

I recently started a new project series where I am challenging myself to create as many layouts as possible using a single packet of Fundamentals paper while working through the layout guides in the new Make It From Your Heart, Vol. 3.  And as if that isn't enough of a challenge, I decided to use the Raspberry papers and complements for the layout below.  Using pink is hard for me -- I am the mom of a 6 year old who is 100% boy and I never really been a girlie-girl myself.  So it's always fun and challenging to step outside my comfort zone and create with more feminine colors/patterns.  I cannot wait to add black & white photos of my husband and I to this layout!

Supplies used:

*coming soon*

To order these or any of our other fabulous Close to My Heart products, please visit http://jddesigns.ctmh.com.

Thank you for visiting me at {jd designs} and for hopping with us on the Just for Fun Blog Hop!  Next up on the hop is Gina Brandstetter. I hope you'll hop on over to her blog for more inspiration.

Until next time, design with {heart}!

Close to My Heart Christmas Card Blog Hop

Welcome to the CTMH Christmas Card Blog Hop!

If you came from visiting Priscilla Gotham, then you are in the right place.  If you just happened upon my little corner of the blog world, simply start here and continue hopping until you return here -- our fun hop is one big loop for your viewing pleasure. 

My hop projects were made using the Workshop Your Way Joyful Tidings Cardmaking Instruction Guide -- HOWEVER, instead of using the Gold & Silver product collection, I used the Beary Christmas collection.  I love to use the various workshop guides and change them up by using different paper collections than originally intended.  Doesn't the Joyful Tidings WYW look great with Beary Christmas???

Joyful Tidings WYW Projects

WYW Project 1

WYW Project 2

Supplies used:

*Merry Everything stamp
*Beary Christmas paper packet
*12" x 12" Cranberry cardstock
*12" x 12" New England Ivy cardstock
*12" x 12" White Daisy cardstock
*Silver glitter paper
*5 1/2" X 4 1/4" white cards & envelopes, value pack
*New England Ivy Exclusive Inks stamp pad
*Clear Sparkles
*Foam tape
*Thin Cuts -- Basic Banners
*Thin Cuts -- Scallop Border

To order these or any of our other fabulous Close to My Heart products, please visit http://jddesigns.ctmh.com.

Thank you for visiting me at {jd designs} and for hopping with us on the CTMH Christmas Card Blog Hop!  Next up on the hop is Gina Brandstetter. I hope you'll hop on over to her blog for more inspiration.

Until next time, design with {heart}!

Stamp of the Month Blog Hop -- Christmas Tunes

Welcome to the October Stamp of the Month Blog Hop!

If you came from visiting Priscilla Gotham, then you are in the right place.  If you just happened upon my little corner of the blog world, simply start here and continue hopping until you return here -- our fun hop is one big loop for your viewing pleasure. 

The month's featured stamp set is S1710 Christmas Tunes (pictured below).  This set is only available until October 31st and is only $5 with a $50 Close to My Heart purchase.

I love Christmas music!   I dare you not to start singing -- in your head or out loud -- when looking at the stamps in this set.  There is just something so catchy and cheery about Christmas songs.  I'm not sure what it is... maybe it's that warm fuzzy feeling you get when you hear them or maybe it's the memories that come back to you when a certain song comes on.  Whatever it is, this month's stamp of the month set will have you singing in no time!

For today's hop, I created a simple, yet festive Christmas card using Beary Christmas collection.  I like to keep my Christmas cards simple and easy to mass produce.  Do you make your own Christmas cards?

Supplies used:

*Christmas Tunes stamp set (October SOTM)
*12" x 12" Pebble cardstock
*12" x 12" Pewter cardstock
*12" x 12" White Daisy cardstock
*5 1/2" X 4 1/4" white cards & envelopes, value pack
*Cranberry Exclusive Inks stamp pad
*Beary Christmas Dots

To order these or any of our other fabulous Close to My Heart products, please visit http://jddesigns.ctmh.com.

Thank you for visiting me at {jd designs} and for hopping with us on the Close to My Heart Stamp of the Month October Blog Hop!  Next up on the hop is Sheila Bennett. I hope you'll hop on over to her blog for more inspiration.

Until next time, design with {heart}!

Holiday Expressions New Product Blog Hop

Welcome to the Holiday Expressions New Product Blog Hop!

If you came from visiting Gina Brandstetter, then you are in the right place.  If you just happened upon my little corner of the blog world, simply start here and continue hopping until you return here -- our fun hop is one big loop for your viewing pleasure. 

To create the layout below, I used a sketch from the new fabulous How-To collection -- Make It From Your Heart, Vol 3.  I absolutely love our how-to collections.  They are a great starting point for scrapbooking... especially when you are stuck or struggling to find your scrappy mojo.

Supplies used:

*Make It from Your Heart, Volume 3
*Art Philosophy Cricut cartridge (retired)
*Flower Market Cricut cartridge
*Falling for You paper packet
*12" × 12" Espresso cardstock
*12" × 12" Fern cardstock
*12" × 12" Goldrush cardstock
*12" × 12" Saffron cardstock
*12" × 12" Toffee cardstock
*12" × 12" White Daisy cardstock
*White & Bronze twine
*Bronze sequins

To order these or any of our other fabulous Close to My Heart products, please visit http://jddesigns.ctmh.com.

Thank you for visiting me at {jd designs} and for hopping with us on the Close to My Heart Holiday Expressions New Product Blog Hop!  Next up on the hop is Janna Gray. I hope you'll hop on over to her blog for more inspiration.

Until next time, design with {heart}!

National Stamping Month Blog Hop

Welcome to the National Stamping Month Blog Hop!

If you came from visiting Gina Brandstetter, then you are in the right place.  If you just happened upon my little corner of the blog world, simply start here and continue hopping until you return here -- our fun hop is one big loop for your viewing pleasure. 

In celebration of National Stamping Month, Close to My Heart is offering an exclusive card kit and stamp set called From the Heart.  The exclusive From the Heart card kit gives you all the materials you need for creating 12 interactive cards, including an E-size stamp set with heartfelt sentiments and stamps you can layer together for exquisitely artistic cards.  You can also purchase the stamp set separately as well as additional sets of card bases/envelopes.  For full details on this special, you can visit my CTMH website.

For today's hop, we were challenged to go beyond the kit and create original artwork using the stamp set and/or the kit components themselves.  I chose to set the kit aside and focus on the beautiful sentiments in the stamp set.  As a fun bonus challenge to myself, I decided to participate in the color dare #260 challenge from Color My Heart Color Dare -- using colors Willow, Raspberry, Bashful, White Daisy and Charcoal.

And if that wasn't enough to pack into one project, I found a 6x6 one-sheet wonder template on Pinterest to scraplift.  Have you ever tried a one-sheet wonder?  They are fun templates designed to help you get the most out of your patterned paper; some 12x12 designs even stretch your paper to create 20+ cards!  The pattern I chose was for 4 cards from 1 6x6 piece of B&T patterned paper.

For a larger / closer view of any of the cards, please click on the image below.

 

 

Supplies used:

*From the Heart stamp set (September Exclusive Special)
*Basics Fundamental paper packet
*Bashful glitter paper
*White cards & envelopes value pack
*Charcoal 12" x 12" card stock
*Raspberry 12" x 12" card stock
*White Daisy 12" x 12" card stock
*Bashful Exclusive Inks stamp pad
*Charcoal Exclusive Inks stamp pad
*Raspberry Exclusive Inks stamp pad
*Willow Exclusive Inks stamp pad
*Black Memento ink pad
*Waterbrush - small round
*Bitty Sparkles

To order these or any of our other fabulous Close to My Heart products, please visit http://jddesigns.ctmh.com.

Thank you for visiting me at {jd designs} and for hopping with us on the Close to My Heart National Stamping Month Blog Hop!  Next up on the hop is Janna Gray. I hope you'll hop on over to her blog for more inspiration.

Until next time, design with {heart}!

Stamp of the Month Blog Hop -- Feel So Blessed

Welcome to the September Stamp of the Month Blog Hop!

If you came from visiting Gina Brandstetter, then you are in the right place.  If you just happened upon my little corner of the blog world, simply start here and continue hopping until you return here -- our fun hop is one big loop for your viewing pleasure. 

The month's featured stamp set is S1709 Feel So Blessed (pictured below).  This set is only available until September 30th and is only $5 with a $50 Close to My Heart purchase.

I know we are featuring the SOTM, but have you seen the exclusive limited-release special for National Stamping Month??  It includes a fabulous card kit and a beautiful multi-layer stamp set.  I am in love with this special and couldn't help combining the fun interactive card base with this month's stamp of the month.  What do you think?

Here are a couple close-ups of the front when the card is closed and the "inside"/base.

 

Supplies used:

*Feels So Blessed (September SOTM)
*From the Heart Card Bases and Envelopes (September Exclusive Special)
*Poppy Exclusive Inks stamp pad (NEW!)
*Saffron Exclusive Inks stamp pad (NEW!)
*Archival Black stamp pad (NEW!)
*Gold Glitter Gems

To order these or any of our other fabulous Close to My Heart products, please visit http://jddesigns.ctmh.com.

Thank you for visiting me at {jd designs} and for hopping with us on the Close to My Heart Stamp of the Month September Blog Hop!  Next up on the hop is Janna Gray. I hope you'll hop on over to her blog for more inspiration.

Until next time, design with {heart}!

Annual Inspirations New Product Blog Hop

Welcome to the Annual Inspirations New Product Blog Hop!

If you came from visiting Michelle Loncar, then you are in the right place.  If you just happened upon my little corner of the blog world, simply start here and continue hopping until you return here -- our fun hop is one big loop for your viewing pleasure. 

Today's hop features projects created using products from the newly released 2017-2018 CTMH Annual Inspirations Idea Book.  From beautiful new colors to fun new stamps, this year's annual idea book is sure to become a fast favorite.  I know it has for me!!

Two of my favorite things from the new lineup are this year's color of the year -- Bashful and the awesome two-toned cardstock -- one side in the original CTMH shade and the other in the same color with a lighter hue.  This new style of cardstock virtually doubles CTMH's exclusive color palette while making paper layering and matting so much quicker and easier!

Supplies used:

*For You Darling Stamp + Thin Cuts (NEW!)
*12" x 12" Bashful cardstock (NEW!)
*12" x 12" White Daisy cardstock
*Bashful glitter paper (NEW!)
*5 1/2" X 4 1/4" white cards & envelopes, value pack
*Bashful Exclusive Inks stamp pad (NEW!)
*Thin Cuts -- Scallop Border (NEW!)
*Bashful pearls (NEW!)

To order these or any of our other fabulous Close to My Heart products, please visit http://jddesigns.ctmh.com.

Thank you for visiting me at {jd designs} and for hopping with us on the Annual Inspirations New Product Blog Hop!  Next up on the hop is Lucy Marino. I hope you'll hop on over to her blog for more inspiration.

Until next time, design with {heart}!

Stamp of the Month Blog Hop -- Hello Foxy

Welcome to the Stamp of the Month June Blog Hop!

If you came from visiting Brenda Lapp, then you are in the right place.  If you just happened upon my little corner of the blog world, simply start here and continue hopping until you return here -- our fun hop is one big loop for your viewing pleasure. 

The month's featured stamp set is S1706 Hello Foxy (pictured below).  This set is only available until June 30th and is only $5 with a $50 Close to My Heart purchase.

Sometimes I find myself trying too hard to come up with a card design -- so lately, I have been trying to get back to the basics.  Today's project is definitely an example of that.  I didn't use any patterned paper.  Instead I dry-embossed on our awesome white core cardstock and used my sanding block to rough up the embossing a little.  I also used the sanding block to distress all the edges to expose that white core.

Another trick I wanted to share with you has to do with the layered circles.  See the cocoa circle behind the white circle?  Rather than punching it from another piece of cocoa, I simply punched it from the background layer knowing the negative space would be covered by the peacock embossed layer.

Supplies used:

*Hello Foxy stamp set (May SOTM)
*12" x 12" Cocoa cardstock
*12" x 12" Goldrush cardstock
*12" x 12" Peacock cardstock
*12" x 12" White Daisy cardstock
*5 1/2" X 4 1/4" white cards & envelopes, value pack
*Cocoa Exclusive Inks stamp pad
*Peacock Exclusive Inks stamp pad
*Black Memento ink pad
*Shin Han Marigold marker
*Wood Slats embossing folder
*Sanding Kit

*2" circle punch
2 1/2" circle punch

To order these or any of our other fabulous Close to My Heart products, please visit http://jddesigns.ctmh.com.

Thank you for visiting me at jd designs and for hopping with us on the Close to My Heart Stamp of the Month June Blog Hop!  Next up on the hop is Alyson Mayo. I hope you'll hop on over to her blog for more inspiration.

Until next time, design with {heart}!

Seasonal Expressions 2 New Product Blog Hop

Welcome to the CTMH Seasonal Expressions 2 New Product Blog Hop!

If you came from visiting Michelle Stewart, then you are in the right place.  If you just happened upon my little corner of the blog world, simply start here and continue hopping until you return here -- our fun hop is one big loop for your viewing pleasure. 

Today we are featuring projects made with the fabulous products from the newly released Seasonal Expressions 2 Idea Book.  If you haven't had a chance to check out this new book, I highly recommend you head over to my website after the hop and check it out.  I will leave a link below.

With Memorial Day coming soon, I used the No Worries collection to create a fun layout perfect for documenting those start-of-Summer photos.  I added the color Ruby to the Cashmere, Sapphire, and White Daisy colors from the collection to give a classic red, white, and blue feel to my layout.  Ruby is the perfect compliment to this fantastic collection.  I also used the No Worries embellishments -- including the complements kraft die cuts, sequins, and burlap ribbon.  Isn't that burlap ribbon fabulous?!?

Supplies used:

*No Worries paper packet
*No Worries - Cardmaking stamp + thin cuts bundle
*No Worries - Scrapbooking stamp set
*12" × 12" Cashmere cardstock
*12" × 12" Ruby cardstock
*12" × 12" White Daisy cardstock
*Cashmere Exclusive Inks stamp pad
*Ruby Exclusive Inks stamp pad
*Sapphire Exclusive Inks stamp pad
*No Worries complements
*No Worries sequins
*White burlap ribbon
*Foam tape

To order these or any of our other fabulous Close to My Heart products, please visit http://jddesigns.ctmh.com.

Thank you for visiting me at jd designs and for hopping with us on the Close to My Heart Seasonal Expressions 2 New Product Blog Hop!  Next up on the hop is Haley Dyer. I hope you'll hop on over to her blog for more inspiration.

Until next time, design with {heart}!

National Scrapbooking Month Blog Hop

Welcome to the CTMH National Scrapbooking Month Blog Hop!

If you came from visiting Melinda Everitt, then you are in the right place.  If you just happened upon my little corner of the blog world, simply start here and continue hopping until you return here -- our fun hop is one big loop for your viewing pleasure. 

The month's constant campaign celebrates National Scrapbooking Month and in honor of NSM, CTMH has released an exclusive paper packet, stamp set, and Cut Above kit -- all called Live Beautifully.  Today's hop features lots of fantastic inspiration using all of these products.  Enjoy!! 

I used the paper packet and stamp set to make the layout below.  I love the Sea Glass in this collection, and it looks gorgeous with the strong contrast of the black and white floral and watercolor stripe.

Supplies used:

*Live Beautifully paper packet
*Live Beautifully stamp set
*12" × 12" White Daisy cardstock
*Sea Glass Exclusive Inks stamp pad
*Whisper Exclusive Inks stamp pad
*Shimmer Brush - clear
*Shimmer Trim - gold
*Gold glitter gems
*Foam tape

To order these or any of our other fabulous Close to My Heart products, please visit http://jddesigns.ctmh.com.

Thank you for visiting me at jd designs and for hopping with us on the Close to My Heart National Scrapbooking Month Blog Hop!  Next up on the hop is Haley Dyer. I hope you'll hop on over to her blog for more inspiration.

Until next time, design with {heart}!

Stamp of the Month Blog Hop -- Live, Laugh, Love

Welcome to the Stamp of the Month May Blog Hop!

If you came from visiting Melinda Everitt, then you are in the right place.  If you just happened upon my little corner of the blog world, simply start here and continue hopping until you return here -- our fun hop is one big loop for your viewing pleasure. 

The month's featured stamp set is S1705 Live, Laugh, Love (pictured below).  This set is only available until May 31st and is only $5 with a $50 Close to My Heart purchase.

When I first saw this month's SOTM, my mind was immediately filled with all sorts of fun projects to create, and as I sat down to create something for this hop, all those ideas started "battling" in my head and getting more and more complex.  So in the end, I decided to keep it super simple and make a card for my husband for our anniversary -- which is Saturday.

Do you ever have that problem?  You sit down to start creating and suddenly you feel overwhelmed by design details, paper selection, which embellishments to use, etc.  The project simply takes on a mind of its own, and you don't know what to do next.  What do you do when this happens?  How do you push through the creative block?

Like I said, I chose to keep the card simple.  I selected a simple sketch from a Pinterest board I  have dedicated to card sketches.  I used the gorgeous black and white floral from the Live Beautifully paper packet along with a simple Swiss dot design from the Enchantment Fundamentals.  Our wedding colors were red, white, and black.  Even though I was trying to keep the card a little more masculine, I felt it needed some bling so I used my gold shimmer brush on the sentiment piece before stamping.  The shimmer brush added a perfect layer of sparkle while still allowing me to stamp the "together" sentiment from this month's SOTM.

Supplies used:

*Live, Laugh, Love stamp set (May SOTM)
*Live Beautifully paper packet (NSM exclusive)
*Enchantment Fundamentals
*12" x 12" White Daisy cardstock
*5 1/2" X 4 1/4" white cards & envelopes, value pack
*Black Exclusive Inks stamp pad
*Shimmer brush - gold
*Foam tape

To order these or any of our other fabulous Close to My Heart products, please visit http://jddesigns.ctmh.com.

Thank you for visiting me at jd designs and for hopping with us on the Close to My Heart Stamp of the Month May Blog Hop!  Next up on the hop is Michelle Loncar. I hope you'll hop on over to her blog for more inspiration.

Until next time, design with {heart}!

Thin Cuts Blog Hop

Welcome to the Thin Cuts Blog Hop!

If you came from visiting Brenda Lapp, then you are in the right place.  If you just happened upon my little corner of the blog world, simply start here and continue hopping until you return here -- our fun hop is one big loop for your viewing pleasure. 

The month's bonus hop features the amazingly fabulous Thin Cuts from CTMH -- which are on special this month for 25% off.  If you have never tried these wonderful wafer thin dies, now is the time!  If you have tried them, now is the time to stock up and expand your collection!!

I have a wide variety of Thin Cuts in my personal collection -- for today's project, I chose to feature Sweet Birthday.  If you follow my blog, you know the Sweet Birthday stamp set was my favorite release in the 2016-2017 Annual Inspirations Idea Book -- however, my first thought was "No coordinating Cricut / Thin Cuts?? Ugh..."  I bought the stamp set anyways.  :-)

Then, in October, CTMH made my dreams come true.  They released a coordinating Thin Cut set to go along with my favorite Sweet Birthday stamp set.  :-)  Now I use this adorable stamp set and its coordinating Thin Cuts all the time.  I absolutely LOVE the pair!

When creating the layout below, I used a sketch from Even More Scrapping which was coincidentally called "Sweet Friend"  The sketch was fabulous because it called for multiple repeated images across the center -- perfect for the fun party hats.  It also called for a large circle on the left page which I swapped for a cut from the Cricut Artistry collection.

I plan to add pictures from my niece's recent Moana-themed birthday party.  The colors in the Adventure Fundamentals collection coordinate beautifully with the bright, fun colors from her party.  And the 4x6 and 4x3 photo spots will make it a piece of cake to finish this layout (see what I did there?  Piece of cake... Birthday party... I'm so punny!!)

To create the adorable cupcake embellishments, I stamped the image using archival black ink and allowed it to set for a few minutes before coloring the image with the CTMH watercolor pencils.  I mixed two shades of green for the wrapper on the left cupcake and two shades of blue on the right cupcake.  To blend, I used my CTMH clear shimmer brush.  I actually have two of these brushes -- one for regular use and one for blending and other "messy" use.  As for the pink frosting, I colored about a quarter inch around the edge and used the shimmer brush to fade the color towards the face.

I also added some shimmer detail to the party hats -- specifically along the bottom trim, the polka dots, and the top "poof". I just love how the shimmer brush adds a little extra "pop" to a project.

Supplies used:

*Sweet Birthday Thin Cuts
*Sweet Birthday stamp set
*Artistry Cricut collection
*Adventure Fundamentals paper packet
*12" × 12" Lagoon cardstock
*12" × 12" Lemon cardstock
*12" × 12" Raspberry cardstock
*12" × 12" White Daisy cardstock
*Archival Black stamp pad
*Shimmer Brush - clear
*Watercolor Pencils
*Shimmer Trim - silver
*Sugar Rush dots
*Foam tape

To order these or any of our other fabulous Close to My Heart products, please visit http://jddesigns.ctmh.com.

Thank you for visiting me at {jd designs} and for hopping with us on the Close to My Heart Thin Cuts Blog Hop!  Next up on the hop is Jean McNulty. I hope you'll hop on over to her blog for more inspiration.

Until next time, design with {heart}!