Thank YOU!

My customers are the BEST!  I am so grateful for each and every one of you!  I will be announcing the winner of my mystery box later today, but first, a card!

My super-talented daughter created another amazing card, and since it's a thank you card, it was the perfect share for today!  She used Topiary and Smoothie CS together for an out-of-this-world combination!   I love this combo for Christmas, and it was perfect with her embellishment rub-ons.
The Thank You sentiment is from the retired For Every Occasion My Acrylix set.  She even added to the inside!

I just love her creations!

So, want to see who won the mystery box?  I will meet you back here later this evening after I get all the orders over the past 12 days rounded up!  See you soon, and good luck!  :)

Boy Friendly Gift Card Holder with a Hint of Ombre?

I love making frilly, sparkly, girlie paper projects!  Making one that is fit for a king is another story.  For my workshop I wrapped up on Friday, I made a great any-gender gift card holder using the new Artbooking Collection from Close to My Heart.  Go HERE to learn more about this fantastic new Cricut Collection and see all the amazing cuts it has, or keep reading to see the gift card holder!  ;)

This adorable torn sheet of notebook paper is a cut from the brand new Artbooking Cartridge!  Isn't it just darling?  I have been wanting a cut like this!   It even comes with the paper lines to stamp on yourself!  The sentiment, "FOR YOU," is from the My Acrylix stamp set For Every Occasion.  This versatile set is disappearing after July, so get it now if you want it!  It has sentiments for all occasions!

I used several hues of blue for this project in an attempt at an ombre technique so that I could link up with Heart 2 Heart Challenges for their July Ombre challenge.  I used the graduating shades of blue from Close to My Heart:  Sky, Crystal Blue, Indian Corn, Pacifica, and Outdoor Denim.  I have my eyes on another technique to try this out as well, so we will see how it goes. Not sure if this one qualifies or if the shades need to be all lined up...hmmmmm, ombre is so mysterious!  ;)

Two of the arrow stamps I used are from the Cricut Artbooking Collection My Acrylix sets, My Life and Take Note that are available to the public on August 1st on my website.  Take a sneak peek!

The third one, with the polka dots, is from the Close to My Heart Wheel of Life My Acrylix.

Here is a look at the inside of the gift card holder....it is cut from the Cricut Artiste Cartridge on Kraft paper.  I DID alter it a bit though...it usually looks like this...

I just chopped off all the sides to square it off!  ;)  Looks a bit more manly that way....

This great little pocket for your gift card is all cut out for you to easily assemble.

Super-cute, right?  I left it all plain inside because we all know the guy you give it to won't even pay attention to who it is from when he sees the gift card, right?  ;)

Want to get your hands on that Close to My Heart Artbooking Collection as soon as possible?  How would you like free shipping as well?  You can do BOTH, plus get the August Stamp of the Month absolutely free by pre-ordering RIGHT HERE!  I will put all the orders in right away on August 1st AND your name will be entered into a drawing for $25 worth of CTMH papers, inks, blocks, and more--just from ME! 

This One Time, At Card Camp...

Hi everyone!  How many of you have been to a card workshop?  :)  Believe it or not, until recently, I had taught workshops, but never attended one!  My friend and I went to an all-occasions card workshop at Archivers where we got to use all sorts of cool tools and stamps.  I enjoyed one of the cards so much, that I made my own version using my Close to My Heart supplies!

Here is the Archivers version...

 ...and here is mine!

This card features the Bubbles embossing folder from Lifestyle Crafts.  I used my honeycomb pattern from the soon to be retired Buzz and Bumble WOTG from CTMH for the background.  After running it through my Big Shot, I sanded down the edges and across the page to outline the word bubble with my sanding kit .  Then, I rounded up all the little "thank you" sentiments I could find from the For Every Occasion and Thank You My Acrylix and went to work laying them out on the actual embossing folder to fit them in the word bubble.  Once I had them arranged, I pressed my 4 x 5 acrylic block on top to pick them all up at once just like this...

Such a cool trick that I learned from Jennifer McGuire's blog.

I wanted to add some color too, so I stamped a little star in Lagoon Ink and used this random roll of washi that I had lying around.  No idea what or where, so can't provide the deets, sorry!

Super easy, and really trendy right now too!  :)  Thanks for popping in! 

Stamp of the Month Playtime!

I finally had a chance to get my hands on the March Stamp of the Month, Floral Happiness after seeing a lot of beautiful artwork created with the set.  I had to give it a try ASAP, and I am sure glad I did!   Here it is...

not much to look at like this, but when you know how to stamp these gorgeous images...the possibilities just flow!

All of these cards use White Daisy Cardstock and some combination of  Black, Whisper, Hollyhock, Blush, Sweet Leaf, and Pear Inks or paper.  The "Happy Birthday" sentiment is from the Art Philosophy Collection.  "Thinking of You" is from the For Every Occasion My Acrylix Stamp Set.  The last sentiment is found on Card Chatter--Sympathy.

Click on the Stamp of the Month tab above to get your copy or more details about how to get it for only $5!!!  Hurry, when March is over, so is this stamp's availability!  ;)

Mojo Monday #266

Welcome!!!  Have you ever woken up (grammar police, I will voluntarily turn myself in later) in the morning expecting to feel pretty blah, but then you don't?  Anyone with me here?  Well, I am in the best kind of crazy, happy mood!  Probably a bit because I am anticipating someone receiving a little something that I made them for a very special day!  ;) 

I ALSO made this same person a card with the sketch for this week's Mojo Monday!!!  Here it is--my entry for Mojo Monday #266...

I am so in love with this paper right now, but alas, it is a retired pack from CTMH.  Sigh.  The color combination is just beautiful though, and I added some solid Twilight Cardstock. I used my Art Philosophy Cartridge from Close to My Heart to cut the scallop and the circles.  The card is a standard size A2.

I used the sentiment "Hello friend" that I received as my prize for being a winner in Mojo Monday 257 a little while back.  It is in the Verve stamp set Hope Blooms.  I also used a snowflake theme Cuttlebug folder to emboss this background banner.  My Gelly Roll Clear Star pen added sparkle to all the raised parts of the paper after I sanded it.  LOVE.  I hope you can see it...

I also used my absolute favorite product that I carry for Close to My Heart called Shimmer Trim.  It is basically glitter on a roll with an adhesive back. I love the texture of it!

 This adorable snowflake is cut out with the Art Philosophy Cartridge as well.  I actually like the little bits of fuzzy paper left behind in the little tiny cuts.  It makes the flake look fluffy!  ;)

I FINALLY remembered to add some interest to the inside of my card as well!  Quite proud of that, lol.  I used Close to My Heart My Acrylix D1187 For All Occasions for the Happy Birthday sentiment inside.  I have cut apart several stamps lately, but not this time.  I just inked up one word at a time to stamp them on separate lines. 

Thanks for stopping in, and if you see Carisa, tell her not to read my blog until at least Saturday!  ;)