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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.