Heart 2 Heart Design Team Sunset Debut!

Hi everyone!  I am here for my DT debut with Heart 2 Heart Challenges, and boy did we have a hum-dinger to start with!  This was sooooo much fun to make, so you guys just HAVE to play along with me and the rest of Team Sunset at H2H this week! 

The Challenge is Mix & Match and all you have to do is use 3 or more different papers and/or 3 or more different stamp sets in your project!  WOW!!!  While you start to digest that, let me show you my card...

Can you guess which three CTMH paper packs I used?  Here is a hint--two of them are names!  I will tell you in a bit!  ;)

Which SIX CTMH My Acrylix stamp sets did I use?  Hee, hee!  Here is a hint...some are retired (sorry!)  Keep reading!  ;)

Three or more buttons, too!  ;)  Stock up on your button needs, because you won't see them in the next Idea Book! 

Alright, I'll let you off the hook.  Here is my complete creative formulary:

Artiste Cricut Collection

CTMH Claire, Tommy, and Later Sk8ter Paper Packets
Storybook Numbers (ret.), Sightseer, Wheel of Life, Rock the Block (ret.), Love Life, and Fast and Furious My Acrylix stamp sets

Black and Honey Exclusive Inks

Black, Green, and Blue Buttons Assortments

Black Waxy Flax

So, what do YOU need to do to join in at H2H?  It's easy!  Just make a project using three different papers or stamp sets, use mostly CTMH products or order some from out fabulous designers, and link your post up with us at Heart 2 Heart Challenges Mix and Mingle!  :)  See you there!!!

Choose Your Own! :)

Yes!  This should be fun.  Are you ready to choose your own colors for this one?  Color Dare #46 is all about choice, so pick your own shades of pink, orange, and yellow!  Woo, hoo!!!!

I chose Close to My Heart Colors Smoothie, Sunset, and Buttercup.  This is such a happy combination, that I wanted to do a happy card--and if you're happy, then you sparkle.  :)

LOTS of sparkle...in the form of Silver Shimmer Trim, Sparkles Black Flourishes, Sparkles Clear Assortment, and the Glamor Glitter Alphabet.

This button and acrylic flower on my card USED to be clear.  The flower is from the Clair Assortment and the button is actually on clearance for only $1.25 on my website in While Supplies Last!

I learned a little trick from my fellow Diva teammate Stephanie Davis at The Gypsy Chic to turn them any color I want!  You just tap, tap, tap on them with your little Mini Pigment Ink Pads until they are coated how you like...sprinkle them with Clear Embossing Powder, and hit them with a shot of your heating tool!  Walla! Coordinating colored embellies for any project!  ;)  You can see Stephanie's post HERE for details and to see her amazing creation. 

This pretty flower up above is made with cuts from the Cricut Artiste Cartridge and the Hello Blooms and Hooray Bouquet My Acrylix stamps. I used Smoothie, Sunset, and Buttercup Exclusive Dye Inks.

I combined the playful Buttercup and Smoothie retired Dotty for You paper and Chantilly Textiles with the elegant script B&T Duo of For Always.  Somehow, it totally worked!   The bottom front of the card is edged with the Martha Stewart Scallop Dot Edger Punch and trimmed out with a ruffle of the textiles.

 

Just in case you would like to give this ruffle a try, there are several consultants who have put together tutorials on the process.  There are probably tons of them on YouTube.  I used my ATG as the adhesive base for mine and proceeded like this:

Here is a look at how I covered up the rough edges of the ruffle on the inside of the card with a bit of heavily adhesived CS and some more shimmer trim...

So, which shades of Pink, Orange, and Yellow will YOU choose?  Play along with us at the Color My Heart Color Dare this week and link up to us by Thursday the 13th in order to be considered for the coveted Color Dare Diamond Blog Badge!  :) 

Buttons Galore!

Hi there!  I have been super-blessed and busy making baby frames for my Etsy shop.  Here is one of two gorgeous little numbers that I just finished up.  I used lots of beautiful buttons in each one, and it just so happens that Heart 2 Heart Challenges would like us to use....{buttons}....so I am linking up to the challenge!

This first is for a new little baby boy...

Here it is in the frame.  I took pics before I put it in to avoid the glare of the glass.  ;)

A great big shout out to Carolyn Burch, The Crafty Lady, for her information that helped me create my very own watermark for my pictures!  What do you think of it?  Did you notice that it sparkles?  ;)

My Five Faves! #5 Buttons Black Assortment

Hi everyone!  I am starting a little blog series today called My Five Faves!   I will show you my five favorite things in any given category, and you can share yours too!   Are you ready?  The first list I came up with is My Five Fave CTMH Embellies!  Today, we start with #5 and work our way up to #1!

My Five Fave Embellies #5 >>> Buttons Black Assortment

There are sooooo many ways to use these adorable buttons, and the sporting a bit of glitter have my name all over them!  Here is just one of the many ways I have used them.

This has got to be one of the most fun little gift boxes to make.  It was super easy to put together after my Cricut Expression 2 did all the cutting for me!  ;)

I used my Close to My Heart Cricut Artiste Cartridge to cut out this little purse on page 31 from my Lagoon Cardstock.  It is cut at 3 inches, and assembles to a three inch height.  This was the perfect size to hold the necklace my daughter wanted to give her BFF.  :)

Here is where a added one of those black glitter buttons!  I added a purple sparkle to the middle of this one and attached it with a glue dot to the purse.

Beneath the button, under the flap, I attached the useful hook and loop dots that Close to My Heart now carries.  These are super-useful to not only keep the purse closed, but also in allowing the darling little bag to be used again and again!  I love the tiny size, but they sure do grip.

Check out the sparkly strap!  I used a roll of Reflections glitter tape from my stash and LOVE the way it stands up.  You could also use our shimmer trim in silver or black, but I had specific instructions for this little number...

...can you guess the recipient's favorite colors?   Her breathless little gasp upon seeing it was all I needed to hear.  Spreading the sparkle seems to fill MY bucket with a little more sparkle too!   ;)

What is one of YOUR favorite embellishments? 

Speaking of sparkle spreading, you can find the Cricut Artiste Collection HERE for a special price this month from me! 

Damask Divas Chantilly Blog Hop

Welcome to another Damask Divas Blog Hop!  (March 1st all links will work!) Thanks so much for stopping in to see the many ways you can put your Chantilly Paper Packet to use!  If you came from Shirley's Blog, then you are in the right place.  If not, just check out the line-up at the Damask Divas Blog.

Chantilly just might be my favorite paper of all time!  Of course, I am a girl who likes to change her mind, so let's just be realistic and call it my favorite for the moment, shall we?  ;) 

I made this shadow box frame for my cousin and her hubs who had their second darling little baby girl in February.  I simply love creating these personalized frames for people who order them from my Etsy Shop.  They are fabulous gifts for new parents and easy to customize.  This is also my entry for the Heart 2 Heart February Challenge, Love is in the Air.  It has been tortuous waiting to link it up until we had the blog hop because I finished this project before Valentine's Day!!  ;)  It was totally perfect for both assignments though, so well worth the wait.

The background paper for this frame was made by dabbing my Twilight Exclusive Ink onto a piece of White Daisy Cardstock with my handy dandy sponge dauber.  I used it all over the paper and then cut out the section that I liked the best.

I used a few different Close to My Heart My Acrylix stamp sets for this one.  The Chantilly Scrapbook Workshop size C set I used for the clouds is currently available and the retired sets I used are Capture the Date, Moments in Time, and February Word Puzzle.  I used all these retired sets for numbers and lettering, so they would be very easy to substitute.  :)

The hot air balloon is a gorgeous cut found on the Close to My Heart Artiste Cricut Cartridge.  It usually has a flag on top of the balloon, but I just cut that off.  ;)   I added a bit of baker's twine to attach the basket.

These letters that spell out "olivia" are the glamour glitter alphabet stickers.

I placed one of the Chantilly zip strips along the bottom of the frame for a bit of grounding effect.  I really love the looks of this particular strip.  The sentiment at the bottom of the artwork melts my heart.  I positively had to place a heart in the basket being carried away...snif!

I hope this has inspired you to create your own beautiful paper piecing!  Have fun on the rest of our blog hop--you won't believe your eyes!  Cydney's blog is your next stop!  :)  Don't forget to enter the rafflecopter giveaway on the Damask Divas Blog for a chance to win a Close to My Heart My Acrylix Stamp Set!!!

All that Glitters is Fab!

Yes!  I did it!  I finished all four challenges on the Heart 2 Heart blog this month!  I didn't even need a resolution to do it, either!  This final challenge was sooooo up my alley.  Glitter, baby!  I decided to make a wedding card, because every bride sparkles at her wedding.  ;)

Did anyone else find their glittery projects hard to photograph?  The light was bouncing every which way, lol.  Anyway, I went with the For Always paper to give the card a classy feel.  The black and white patterns in this one are absolutely divine!

I LOVE this shape from the Art Philosophy Cricut Cartridge.  I would have to say it is my favorite even (or maybe one of them!)  I cut the one shape on White Daisy at 2.25 and the other one to mat it on our new glitter paper at 2.5.  Then I inked up the edges of the white one in black ink for a dramatic effect.  The Mr. & Mrs. sentiment is found on the Artiste Cricut Cartridge.  I cut it at 1.5 inches.

This bow was part of my older CTMH stash, but I simply needed to use organdy ribbon, and we just don't carry any currently.  I think it would be great to color coordinate it with the wedding colors if you know them!

A great product we DO carry, however, is waxy flax!  Oh how I love it for tying up buttons--no need to lick the flax to get it through!  ;)  These black glitter buttons are one of my favorite new embellishments for the Spring/Summer Idea Book.  Perfect for this card too!

Can you see the scalloped edge of the glitter paper?  I cut this edge from the Artiste Cricut Cartridge on my Expression 2.  If I remember correctly, it is cut at 1.25.  I attached it with my ATG and then used the Black Shimmer Trim to cover the edge.  :)

Here is a close up of the card closed.  You can see the back of the card peeking through the decorative edge.  I think it is a great look for a wedding card.  What do you think?

Thank you, Heart 2 Heart for all the fabulous challenges this month!