A Christmas Village Valentine?

First, I just have to say...

Yeah!  I love these guys.

Alright, so now on with my post!  I don't think I can quite tell you how much I adore this card.  I used the gorgeous example from our Autumn/Winter Idea Book on page 50 to create my own version.  Did you know that is what our Idea Book is for?  IDEAS!!!!  It truly is!  If you need inspiration, you can be sure to find it there...trust me!

I wanted to try to use this awesome stamp set called Christmas Village in a new way for a non-Christmas card.  It was really easier than I thought! 

Another good place to find inspiration are the two volumes of Close to My Heart's Make it From the Heart Pattern Books.  I chose a pattern from the second volume for this card.

This particular sentiment is from Flakey Friends, and I added the heart over the "o" in love from the Lifting Spirits Stamp set.  Any little heart stamp will do, really, if you didn't pick this one up last month.  Of course, if you tune in to my blog in February, you just might win it for yourself!  ;)

Ok, where was I?  Oh, yes...the sentiment.  I added a couple of Pink Glitter Gems to each side of the banner for a bit-o-bling.  ;)

This sweet shoppe was just too much fun to color in with my NEW CTMH Watercolor Pencils.  I just got these awesome pencils to try out, and so I am linking this up with the first challenge over at Heart 2 Heart Challenges in January:  New Beginnings!  :)  I "knew" I couldn't stay away from there for long! *eyeroll*

I adore this paper packet that I used from Carta Bella...

It happens to match perfectly with my CTMH Cranberry CS.  Score!

You probably wouldn't have noticed this heart on my card was upside down, but I did...

Of course, my papers were already all attached nice and stuck-like, lol, so I improvised.

Presto, change-O!

I hope you like how I re-purposed the Christmas Village My Acrylix.  I love to get the most out of my Close to My Heart stamps, and this is just one way to do that.  :)

Hey!  Did you see the January Stamp of the Month?  It is SEW adorable!!!

Did you know you can get it only THIS MONTH!?  You can even get it for just $5 with a $50 purchase on my website!  Yep, you can...that is a huge discount from the regular price of $17.95!  Check it out this month...or it will be too late...mimimyselfandi.ctmh.com

Artbooking's Sweet and Lovely Lace Stamp and a Fry Box? Oh, Yes!

Hi everyone!  Team Sunset is back with a new October challenge for you from Heart 2 Heart Challenges.  It is time to grab your LACY Close to My Heart supplies and get crafty, because we are LACING it up this week!  :)

My first instinct was honestly to cringe for this one, lol.  I am not that much of a lace girl.  Bling and sparkle, definitely, but lace, not so much!  Anyway, I did think of the beautiful new stamp on the Artbooking Collection's Sweet and Lovely My Acrylix Stamp Set...

I had recently hopped through my awesome teammate's Damask Divas Sparkle and Shine Blog Hop, and thanks to Jamie, my Kraft paper was calling out my name!  How could I deny these two the chance to get together?  ;)  I cut a Fry Box out of the Kraft paper from the Cricut Art Philosophy Cartridge...and the rest is history!

Wow, do I love the look of the White Daisy Pigment Ink stamped on that Kraft CS!  I thought the lace would made a lovely little backdrop for a wintery Christmas scene. 

This adorable little snow-covered house is from the new Close to My Heart Christmas Village My Acrylix.   I LOVE it!  I stamped the image in Slate Ink and used my white gel pen to color in the snow.

The Sparkle and Shine Complements Dimensional Elements are a new FAVE of mine!  They are super for adding to both cards AND layouts AND as you see here--just about everything else!!!  I added some Bitty Sparkles to the tree too.  You can never have enough sparkle!  ;)

That star on the tree is sporting another of my new favorite products--the Sparkle Holiday Shapes!  Aren't they fantastic!!!?  They add an outline of bling to several different shapes that coordinate with the Art Philosophy Cartridge cuts! 

I also used the new Sparkle and Shine Washi tape in metallic silver on the star before I added the bling.  Here is how I did it...then I just cut it out with my Non-Stick Micro-Tip Scissors.  What did I ever do without these?  Oh yeah...gum up my other scissors!   ;)

The washi is silver metallic--not white!  That is the shine you see!

This tag is White Daisy CS cut into this fave shape of mine using the Art Philosophy Cartridge.  I attached it to the Ruby Chevron Ribbon with a skinny little strip of Silver Shimmer Trim looped through.  

I used Slate Exclusive Ink to stamp the wonderful tag image found on the Scandinavian Wishes October Stamp of the Month.  If you have your eye on this great set, don't wait!  It is only available this month and coordinates with the Art Philosophy Cricut Collection!

DON'T forget to check out my new Reward Clubs that are forming NOW!  You have the chance to win one of Close to My Heart's Cricut Collections JUST by joining!  Read all about it HERE.

I hope you have a chance to play along with us this month over at Heart 2 Heart!  All the challenges can be played throughout the month, so you still have plenty of time to link up!  For a full list of the rules to play by, click HERE.  I love to see all of your beautiful inspiration! 

I am also linking this up to the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge for Christmas Themed projects!