January 2013 Stamp of the Month Blog Hop

Welcome to the January 2013 CTMH Stamp of the Month Blog Hop.  If you just arrived from {Sarita's} blog, you are on the right path.  This month there are nearly 50 Close To My Heart consultants participating in our blog hop.  We are featuring the January 2013 Stamp of the Month Happy Valentine's, a set of 7 stamps.  

For my project, I broke out my Cricut and the Artiste cartridge.  The little square box measures 2.5" on each side, and has a cutout window on the top.  I cut the box body from Sweet Leaf cardstock, and the lid from La Belle Vie.  I stamped the rose on the reverse side of the window cutout from the box lid in StazOn black ink.  I cut out the rose and then used Liquid Glass to attach it to the underside of a 2.5" square of acetate (I just use those overhead transparency sheets you can buy at the office supply store).  I also used Liquid Glass to attach the acetate to the underside of the lid.  Once the LG was dry, I attached black Opaques from the Licorice package, and made a bow from black grosgrain ribbon which was attached with Zots glue dots.  For the box body, I mixed black Re-inker with Create-a-Shade Pearl Paint and dry-brushed it over the box, allowing some of the cardstock color to show through.  If you wanted to make the  box sturdier, you could coat it with a product like Mod Podge.  Now you have a cute box that you can put a small gift or treasure into.  

Remember, Happy Valentine's is only available January 1-31, 2013.  Contact your consultant or click here to find out how to get your own.

Now hop on over to {Michelle's} blog to see what she's created.

If you find any broken links along the way, Helen has the complete list of hoppers listed on her blog.

December 2011 CTMH Stamp of the Month Blog Hop

Welcome to the December 2011 Stamp of the Month Blog Hop featuring Mad About You, a set of 14 stamps.  If you have just arrived from {Kami's} blog, you are on the right path.  If you are just starting here, you can join in our circular hop by simply clicking the link to the next blog at the end of each post.

The great thing about the December SOTM (that is, for those of you who aren't procrastinators) is that it is perfect for making your Valentine's Day cards and gifts.  I used the set to decorate a cover for a box of candy.  I started with a sheet of Blush cardstock, and then random stamped four images in Blush ink.  I then laid the cardstock face down, and used my Embossing Stylus to trace around the box, and creased the lines and made cuts where necessary.

Next I adhered the cardstock to the candy box.  I cut a strip of Pear cardstock, which was random stamped in Pear ink.  Once again, the stylus was used to mark the edges, the creases were made and the coordinating strip attached to the box.  The large heart image was stamped in Blush on Blush cardstock, and mounted using 3-D Mounting Foam.  (I apologize for the poor quality of the  photos.  I seem to have lost my camera battery charger when I moved barracks six weeks ago, so I had to resort to using my phone for pictures.)


Remember, Mad About You is only available December 1-31, 2011.  Contact your consultant or click here to find out how to get your own.

Now hop on over to {Melissa's} blog to see a project you're sure to be mad about.

If you find any broken links along the way, Helen has the complete list of hoppers listed on her blog.

January 2011 CTMH Spotlight Blog Hop

Welcome to the January 2011 CTMH Spotlight Blog Hop!  This month our hop is featuring Valentine's ideas.  If you have just arrived from {Debbie's} blog, you are on the right path.  If you are just beginning here, you won't miss any of the action, as our hop is a full circle.  Just click on the link at the end of each post to take you to the next blog in the hop.

My project is a Valentine's box.  This box actually has multiple uses.  It could be placed on the desk to receive Valentines in, it could be given full of chocolate kisses, or it could even be used to hide a jewelry box.  The box came from the dollar bin at Target, and all other items are CTMH (unless noted).

  

 

Papers: CTMH cardstock in Blush and Garden Green, CTMH That's Amore
Inks: CTMH Chocolate and Tulip, StazOn Timber Brown (to color the Colonial White Bigger Brads), CTMH Re-inker in Blush and Tulip
Tools and Techniques: CTMH ribbon(Cocoa Collection), CTMH Bigger Brads (Colonial White), Sponging (to color the Colonial White Bigger Brad and the cardstock on the flag), White Daisy Crochet Flowers (from Mini Medley Accents Collection), Mod Podge
Stamp Sets: CTMH Amore

Two outside of the ordinary things I did for this project:  I used alcohol mixed with Re-inker to color the crochet flowers, and I coated the completed box with Mod Podge to give it extra durability.

I hope you're inspired to create a fun Valentine project of your own.  Now hop on over to {Vicki's} blog to see her creation.

December 2010 Stamp of the Month Blog Hop

Welcome to the December 2010 CTMH Stamp of the Month Blog Hop, featuring Amore, a set of 13 Stamps.  If you've just arrived here from {Sarita's} blog, you are on the right path.  If you are just starting here, just jump in and enjoy our circular hop, which has over 60 participants this month.  When you reach the end of a post, click on the link at the end to go to the next post in the hop.  Prepare to be inspired!!!


I just realized that this is my 18th month of participating in this blog hop! I hope you enjoy hopping for inspiration as much as I do.  This month's project is a cute card that I made following the Satchel pattern from the book Wishes.  Originally I planned to stay away from the color pink for this card, but I just couldn't resist the That's Amore papers.

Papers: CTMH cardstock in Chocolate and Garden Green
Inks: CTMH Chocolate, StazOn Timber Brown (to color the Filigree Charm and the Colonial White Designer Brad)
Tools and Techniques: CTMH ribbon, Karen Foster Design Scrapper's Floss, Sponging (to color the Filigree Charm and the Colonial White Designer Brad), Wishes "Satchel" pattern, Liquid Glass
Stamp Sets: CTMH Amore

My bit of fun for this card was the closure.  I don't think I've ever made anything with a closure like this.  I attached the Filigree Charm (which I sponged with StazOn Timber Brown to make it match) to the lower part of the card.  I cut a little piece of foam to place between the front of the card and the charm in order to give it some lift off the page (so the floss would wrap around it easily for closure).  I colored a Colonial White Designer Brad by sponging it with Timber Brown StazOn, and attached it to the top flap of the card, also using a small piece of foam to give it lift, and using Liquid Glass to attach the floss to the brad before I inserted it into the card.  I think the little pieces of foam were the secret to making this closure work well.  The foam is scraps from something I made using those little foamy sheets that they have in the craft sections (the same material that those foamy stickers in the buckets are made of).  This closure would work great for gift card or money holders too.


Remember, Amore is only available 1-31 December 2010.  Contact your Close To My Heart consultant, or click here, to find out how to order your own--or maybe even get it for FREE!!


Now hop on over to {Judy's blog} to see her creation.


If you find any broken links along the way, Helen has the complete list on her blog. 

Mojo Valentine

Today was only the second day this year that I've been able to scrap.  I actually made three scrapbook pages, two cards and one altered item (that's a lot for me).  One of the cards I made was a Valentine for my husband, which I made following Mojo Monday week 122 sketch.

Papers: CTMH Amethyst and Breeze cardstock, MM patterned papers, unknown textured cardstock
Inks: CTMH Amethyst and Breeze

Embellishments:  CTMH White Daisy grosgrain ribbon

Tools and Techniques: Nestabilities Classic Scalloped Ovals, 3-D Mounting Foam, direct-to-paper ink distressing
Stamp Sets: Heartthrob

My First OCC Challenge

Every week, Sue always has an a post of something wonderful she made for the OCC Challenge. In my quest to do more crafting and scrapping this year, I have decided that I am going to try to do the OCC Challenge every week. This is my first OCC Challenge creation.

I made this card in standard (4 1/4 X 5 1/2 inch) size using the Key To My Heart kit, which includes a Level 2 paper pack and an E-sized stamp set, and is only available through January 31st. I stamped the key in Cocoa ink on Colonial White cardstock, and the heart was stamped in Tulip ink on Colonial White cardstock. The heart was mounted with foam squares. The scalloped edge was made with the corner rounder, and the Juniper cardstock was ink distressed with Juniper ink. The ribbon is from the Designer Ribbon Rounds Colonial White collection. This is going to make a great Valentine's Day card for my husband.