Balloon Ride Home Decor

Hi there!  A few months ago I was asked to make a framed project that resembled this:

It was my very first Instagram request, lol.  I saw the balloons and immediately responded that I would LOVE to try!  :)

I found a beautiful wood 5 x 7 frame to use and went to work using the Close to My Heart Balloon Ride Paper Packet, Outdoor Denim Chevron Ribbon, and Color-Ready Trinket Shapes.

Isn't this a lovely sentiment?

Just two days left to take advantage of the Close to My Heart May specials and get over $80 worth of products for $60!  Check them out!  I used them to make this card along with the paper from Balloon Ride! 

May Stamp of the Month

Free to Be Me Paper Packet

Photo Inspiration Newbie!

Happy Saturday!

Today I am linking up to another Heart 2 Heart June Challenge.  This one is all about a little photo inspiration.  Believe it or not, I have never made anything based on this type of inspiration, so I was super-excited to jump in head first.  I even rescheduled the rest of my weekly blogs to squeeze it in here today!

Here is the gorgeous photo H2H provided us with:

...and here is my take on it!

As soon as I saw the inspiration photo, I KNEW where to go...my drawer with all the leftover Art Philosophy and Artiste Cricut cuts.  I knew there was not only a bird, branches, and flowers, but also this fantastic doily shape.  The base of the card didn't jump right out at me, so I browsed my sample papers...but not for long!  This little sheet from the retired Florentine Paper Packet was IT.

I have two weddings coming up this summer, and that is what the photo made me think of, so I decided to break out my Love Doily My Acrylix and use this beautiful sentiment on the card.

Now, for the flowers...the FLOWERS!  I just adore them.  I scattered some Color Ready Trinket Wooden Shapes and paper flower cuts on the branches, then filled the spaces with the rest of the  beautiful blooms.  The opaques in the center of each brings out the delicate feel of the photo.  These flowers I used are actually from the Just Blooms Petals Paper Flowers pack that is currently only $1.50 on CLEARANCE in limited supply on my website!  (Um, yeah...you better run!  Just click on the link in the name up above and I will wait, I promise.)   *whistles  ;)

I colored the flowers while they were still all stacked up like they came in the package with my Sorbet (*cough, cough) Alcohol Ink Marker.  You might remember that Sorbet is not my favorite color in our Close to My Heart pallet.  BUT...this could be a game changer!  I LOVE these flowers with the delicate little shading differences due to the blending and spreading of the alcohol ink!  When I took the stack apart, this is what I saw...soooooo beautiful!

I kept the white on white for the bird and the doily because that is the feel I get from the picture.  I want to be IN that picture!  So tranquil and peaceful there.  Sigh....oh, ahem, sorry!  Got a little lost in thought there!  So anyhooo, I hope you are as inspired by this photo as I am!  :)

A Scrapbook Layout for Color Dare #43

I have fallen a bit behind in my goal this year to make a layout a week.  I think I have completed four, so don't bother with the math.  ;)  I decided to put my Color Dare Design Team duties to work for me this week by completing a layout towards my goal...um, yeah, lol.

Our colors for Color My Heart's Color Dare #43 are Cranberry, Honey, and Outdoor Denim.  Totally Tommy!  I headed for my craft room to see what pics I had next in my stache...um, I mean stash!  No Mustaches in this post, lol!  ;)

I love the way this one turned out, even though *gasp* there is no bling!  It just didn't fit with the layout theme, lol.  But I love it anyway.  :)  I do know the pic is a bit large, but it was way to small at another size, so I went with this...

One of the stars of my layout besides the challenge colors, are the Milepost Shapes corrugated cardboard embellishments.  They are ON SALE right now on my website!  ONLY $1 nets you 48 shapes like the ones I used!  I also used the Scholastic and Tommy Paper Packets.  I had a lot of fun with this journal box.  I layered some vellum over the B&T paper from Tommy and used my Crop-O-Dile to chomp some holes down the side to run the Cranberry Baker's Twine through.  I just don't like the way adhesive shows through vellum, so this was a nifty solution!

I sprinkled images from another of the Tommy B&T papers all over the layout.  There are many different ones to chose from, and I cut them each by hand with my Micro-Trim Scissors.  The little wooden arrows are form the Color-Ready Trinkets Wooden Shapes.

Love the faux Washi on the B&T Duos in Scholastic!  I trimmed this one out and roughed it up to add to the pic.

The Keyboard Kraft Alphabet is quickly becoming a favorite of mine.  There are so many letters included that I might never run out! 

I hope my layout has inspired you to try this color combo!  Did you happen to notice that they are the primary colors?  ;)  

I wonder if you also notice what I left OUT of this layout?  Any guesses?  If you are the first person to guess correctly in the comments, follow my blog, and follow me on FB (link is at the top right,) then you will win your very own pack of Milepost Shapes!  You must have a mailing address in the US to win, please.  Join in the fun and tell me what I left OUT of this layout!  :)

Then, it is your turn!  Use your Close to My Heart Colors Cranberry, Honey, and Outdoor Denim or some similar substitutes to craft up a project of your own to link up with the challenge this week!  Remember to stick to the color combo for the challenge only adding your choice of NEUTRALS!  You can read up on the rules HERE in the sidebar before you start!  :)  Happy Crafting!