Monday, January 31, 2011

Sketch time on Heart2Heart

I think sketch challenges are my favourites - you want to follow the guidelines, but still put your own 'spin' on it...  With this week's Heart2Heart Challenge sketch, I'm using what is probably my favourite new stamp set in the CTMH spring catalogue - Retro Tech.  I'm not sure why it's my favourite, but it just has a funky vibe for me, and I really love it paired with the Mayberry papers.  I sponged all of the edges of my card with Desert Sand to give it a slightly aged look (doesn't really show in the photo), and all of the records were stamped in black, then clear embossed to make them shiny.  I'm having fun 'staging' my photos lately, so I went rummaging around in my basement to dig out one of my favourite albums, from the first concert I ever went to.  Can anybody see what album it is in the photo??  Vicki Wizniuk is joining us this week as our guest designer, and we have 2 new sponsors for the month of February: Shirley Ross & Sandra Strickler, so take a minute to stop off at their blogs and say hello.  Hope you'll all head over to the H2H blog and join us this week!

Patterned papers are Mayberry; Cardstock is Black, Smoothie & Colonial White; Inks are Black and Desert Sand; Stamp set is Retro Tech; - all CTMH; Martha Stewart Baker's Twine.


Saturday, January 29, 2011

Color Throwdown Challenge #126 & Waltzingmouse Sketch #32

For this week's Color Throwdown Challenge, I tried something similar to my "bloom" card from a few weeks ago, using the new Bohemian Alphabet and some hand stitching.  I used this week's Waltzingmouse Sketch.  Here is the sketch and our colours for the challenge:

Cardstock is Garden Green, Crystal Blue, Cocoa & Colonial White; Stamp sets are Bohemian Alphabet & Thoughts of You; Inks are Garden Green, Crystal Blue & Chocolate - all CTMH. Spellbinders Nestabilities die.

Friday, January 28, 2011

Mojo Monday #176 & PDCC66 colours

Ever had a card take days to come together??  This one did... I definitely wanted to do this week's Mojo sketch, was intrigued by the Play Date Cafe colours (a splash of purple) and finally tried my hand at making some paper flowers! (Using Tracey Mason's instructions of course...).  I also cased my fellow design team member Corina's card from this week's H2H challenge - by clear embossing my damask background - love the look!  Check it out:


Cardstock is Pansy Purple, Black, Petal & Grey Wool; Stamp sets are Gracious Greetings & Wings WOTG; Inks are Black & Grey Wool; Clear Embossing powder; Opaques pearls; Pansy Purple Bigger Brads - all CTMH. Offray ribbon.

Monday, January 24, 2011

Heart2Heart Bird/Animal Challenge!

Our 3rd January challenge starts today with "Birds & Animals" - include any bird or animal in your artwork.  I loved this one, because I just received a new CTMH spring stamp set called "Bless This Nest", and have been dying to play with it!  There are all kinds of brand new spring products on my card, so check out the supply list below... Remember that your project should be mostly CTMH (doesn't have to be 100% though).  Just post it to Photobucket or your blog, then head on over to the Heart2Heart Challenge blog and link it up.  The design team has some wonderfully inspiring projects for you this week, and we have Haley Dyer joining us as a guest designer.  Hope you'll play along:
Patterned papers are Wings, Creative Basics; Cardstock is Kraft (yes it's CTMH!), Vineyard Berry & Colonial White; Stamp set is Bless This Nest; Inks are Desert Sand, Topiary, Juniper & Vineyard Berry; Sweet Leaf grosgrain ribbon - all CTMH. 

The birdhouse is paper pieced and pop dotted for a bit of dimension.

Thursday, January 20, 2011

Mojo Monday #174

Another card using the wonderful Wings papers... this time for Mojo Monday's sketch.  The butterflies are all stamped in black and then clear embossed:


All supplies are CTMH - Patterned paper is Wings; Stamp sets are Butterfly Kisses & Find Your Style; Ink is black; Cardstock is Black, Sweetleaf, Colonial White & Juniper; Juniper Grosgrain ribbon.

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

January Stamp of the Month

I've been working on some challenge cards this week, but wanted to post something I've just made for fun - I really love this stamp set, and paper pack, and have seen so many gorgeous projects done with both.  I'm not sure if I'll add a sentiment above the shoe, but I just may wait and decide when I know who & what it's for.
All supplies are CTMH - Patterned papers are Wings; Cardstock is Black & Colonial White; Stamp set is Find Your Style (Jan SOTM); Opaque pearls; Sweet Leaf stitched ribbon;  Ink is Juniper.

Monday, January 17, 2011

H2H - Organization!

We have a little change of pace for you this week at the Heart2Heart Challenge blog.  The theme this week is "Organization" - we want you to share with us your scraproom, and any type of organization tips & hints that you have (I can use all the help I can get!).  Some of us have space galore with interesting shelves & baskets.  Others have a corner or a closet (these people usually have storage down to a fine art).  Maybe you have a funky colour on the wall?  An inspiring view?  Take a few picks and show us what you've got!
Now my space is what I like to call "Organized Chaos".  Which is why you're only being shown bits and pieces.  My craft room is the tiny 4th bedroom in our house.  My sewing machine is my best friend, so it is always out and ready to go.
I'm a cardmaker more than a scrapbooker, so I like to have my stamp sets easily accessible, since I use them constantly.  I have them stored on my shelves in open topped containers according to the sleeve colours (all sentiment sets are pink, fonts are blue, etc.)
I group all of my accessories together by type (all ribbons together, all brads together, etc.).  For both papers and inks, I store them according to the CTMH "seasons" (all Spring Harmony colours together, all Spring Blossom colours together)  I know a lot of people organize their products in colour families (all yellows together) - but my brain thinks according to the catalogue!  I generally keep all of my CTMH product together, since that is the bulk of what I own, and all the "other stuff" is together in a bin.
Here is my favourite CTMH storage item - our Ink Tower!  I love how I can see all of my inks and markers at a glance, and the fact that it swivels around, and sits neatly on my shelf.  The weirdest fact about my craft room is that I don't have a table!!  I am a standing stamper, so I have a drafting table that is laid flat a few inches above waist height.  And if I'm not standing, I'm sitting right on the floor - yes, it's bizarre.  On occasion when I'm at a crop or a friend's house to work - and I'm obliged to sit at a table, I'm like a fish out of water :o)  Hope you'll join us on the H2H blog this week, and share your workspace with us.

Saturday, January 15, 2011

A Layout for the H2H sketch

Oh my goodness, two posts in one day!?  Can you tell that my new spring product order arrived this week and that I'm having a blast playing with it?  Well, I also wanted to participate in the new Scrapbooking section of the Heart2Heart Challenge blog.  Mary is coming up with a bi-weekly sketch for everyone to try.  Unlike the card/project challenge - you do not have to use CTMH products.  It is not a challenge, but merely a way to get us all completing a layout or two every couple of weeks - so I hope you'll join us and get scrapping.  Now for the exciting part - this is a sneak peak of some upcoming spring product that is available to order Feb 1st.  The bases are our new Kraft paper (yay!) and if you look closely, you'll see the little kraft colour-ready borders that are on top of the pink strips.  The papers are from my favourite new paper pack "Mayberry".
I haven't done any journaling yet, (but I don't do much anyway)...that's my pumpkin in black - about 3yrs ago.
Patterned paper is Mayberry; Cardstock is Kraft, Honey, Olive & Colonial White; Inks are Smoothie & Desert Sand; Stamp set is Charm Uppercase; Kraft Colour-ready Borders.

Color Throwdown Challenge #124 & a card for Katie

This week's Color Throwdown Challenge included a special request for fellow papercrafter Katie Renz who was recently diagnosed with stage 4 gastric cancer.  They've asked that participants consider sending their card to Katie & her family to wish them well and encourage her in the battle she's fighting.  Details are on the blog.  The pretty chocolate/pink/blue colour combo was easy to use, and I've cased a card made by Angela Tutton using the January stamp of the month.  Being a clothing designer, I could hardly wait to get this stamp set - I love it!  I gathered the ribbon by sewing a straight line down the middle, and pulled it up to gather.
All supplies are CTMH - Stamp set is Find Your Style; Cardstock is Cocoa, Heavenly Blue & Colonial White; Inks are Cotton Candy & Cocoa; Opaque Pearls; Pink Carnation Organdy ribbon.

Friday, January 14, 2011

Another H2H card

Okay, okay... I'm on the design team so I can't officially enter the challenge!  This is the card that was floating around in my head all of last week - but my Bohemian Alphabet stamp set hadn't arrived yet!  I struggled for a few days to get past it, and finally worked out my other paper pieced card.  Sigh.  The original was probably going to have a row of pleated paper instead of the scallop, but I'm very happy with how this turned out.  So here goes:
and here's a close up of the stem - I free handed the design, poked holes and then stitched it with our embroidery floss:

All supplies are CTMH: Stamp sets are Bohemian Alphabet & Thoughts of You; Cardstock is Chocolate, Pear, Sky Blue & Colonial White; Inks are Pear, Sky Blue & Chocolate; Chocolate Ribbon Rounds; Green Embroidery Floss; Corner Rounder.

Monday, January 10, 2011

Mojo Monday #173 & Wee Memories #38

I really like these Making Memories papers... so I pulled them out for this week's Mojo Monday sketch, and this card also fits this week's Wee Memories challenge, to use twine:

Patterned papers are Chloe's Closet, Making Memories; Cardstock is Kraft, Michaels & Colonial White - CTMH; Baker's Twine is Martha Stewart; Vintage Oval die, Verve; Stamp set is Treasure Life; Clear craft buttons - both CTMH.

A New Heart2Heart Challenge!

The 1st Heart2Heart Challenge for 2011 is on!  I am thrilled to be one of the Design Team members for the next few months, along with some very talented ladies (see the links to their blogs on my sidebar).  We're also welcoming the wonderfully creative Vicki Wizniuk to join us as a guest designer for the month of January.  To play along - CTMH products must be included in your artwork, but it does not have to be 100% CTMH.  There's more... we have 2 sponsors: Haley Dyer and Susan Winters who will be giving prizes to 2 randomly selected players at the end of the month.  Now without further ado... this week is a colour challenge:
Pear is my new favourite green... and even though I chose not to, you can add a touch of sorbet if you wish:

All supplies are CTMH: Patterned papers are Magnifique & Olivia; Cardstock is Pear and Colonial White; Stamp set is Treasure Life; Inks are Pear, Sky & Desert Sand; Ivory Organdy ribbon.
Click here to head on over to the H2H blog to see what everyone else is up to.  Here is a close up:

Sunday, January 9, 2011

A Birthday card

Shhh!  It's my husband's birthday in a few short hours... so here's what I've come up with to wish him a happy day:

Patterned papers are the All Boy Collection, My Mind's Eye; Cardstock is Black & Colonial White; Basic Craft Buttons; Stamp set is Say it in Style; Ink is Black - all CTMH; Vintage oval die from Verve.

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

Mojo Monday #172 & some blog candy

This week's card for Mojo Monday is so not-typical for me (lots of patterns & lots of layers!) which is why I love it so much - it's great to stretch your wings now and again.  I've been hoarding this Basic Grey paper for awhile now, but thought it worked quite well for this sketch.  The gold string & rhinestones don't really show up in the photo, but add just a touch of bling in real life.  Also - be sure to check out my fellow H2H Design Team member Lorrinda's blog, for some wonderful blog candy to celebrate her 1st Blogaversary...and check out her wonderful artwork while you're there.
Patterned papers - Basic Grey, Boxer; Cardstock & Ink are Outdoor Denim, CTMH; Sentiment is Verve, Glad Tidings; Button is Autumn Craft Buttons, CTMH; Martha Stewart punch.

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Socks

I'm busy working away on some paper projects to share soon (I promise!) but meanwhile, I thought I'd post a pic of a pair of socks that I've had done for a while, but gave as a Christmas gift - so now I can share them here.  The pattern was a simple feather & fan one, easy to knit, but looks much more complicated than it really was!

Sunday, January 2, 2011

Exciting News!!

A very Happy New Year to all of you!  I hope that 2011 brings many good things your way.  My New Year has been off to a very happy start, as I was invited to be a member of the Heart2Heart Challenges Design Team! 
I am so proud and excited to join a group of such wonderfully talented ladies, and can hardly wait for the 2011 challenges to begin. The H2H blog was started by fellow consultant, Mary Vogel - and is a weekly challenge site featuring Close To My Heart products.  Each Monday the design team kicks off a new challenge with inspiring artwork & ideas, so I'm going to be on my toes for the next few months to keep up with everyone.  Take a few minutes to visit the design team's blogs, and stop off at the H2H blog (Mary's done a total redesign - and it's wonderful!) - while you're there you can grab one of the fabulous new badges to post on your own blog.   Here are the talented new design team members:
Lorrinda Holman
Debbie Carriere
Lisa Stenz
Corina Mitchell
Karen Day (me)
Melinda Everitt
Mary Vogel 
Senior DT member Jessica Moore

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