Close to My Heart Designed Decor Display Tray with Ivy Lane

*A Side Note*  Are any of you who subscribe via email getting notifications from my blog?  Would you please let me know.  Thanks.  I think there is a glitch with Blogger.  OK, on with today's post! 

I have been putting this off for a bit now, but only delaying the inevitable.  I can't change the date of graduation just by not posting my project pics, lol.  Sigh.

My Display Tray turned out really different than I originally intended, but I love that it did!  Sometimes you just have to be flexible with a project, even if you think you have it all planned out.  I thought I would put one picture for each year of school since there were 12 slots.  I did not take into account that fact that my daughter would nix some of those pics, lol!  I did allow her to have a say in the final product, including the Ivy Lane theme, and here it is!  (Lots of pics...sorry!)

Our Designed Decor Display Tray is SO versatile for cherishing and documenting your precious memories.  I used both retired and current products to create each of the different boxes.  This one features the Ivy Lane Complements and a flower from the retired Frosted Assortment.  I love when older products combine well with new ones!

A girl needs glitter!  Well, this girl does anyway...so I was sure to use the Pink Glitter Paper to back this picture along with the retired Glamour Glitter Alphabet.  The pic is popped up with our foam tape which is hard to see with all that sparkle!  ;)

I adore this little tag I created with one of the Complements stickers and retired Cherish the Day My Acrylix stamp set.  I used some retired Color Ready Seam Binding Ribbon and Bitty Sparkles to glam this one up...

Banners are just beautiful ways to display a name, and this one turned out JUST right.  The flowers are from the retired Bitty Buds Assortment...I know, I know, I wish they were still available too!  The pennants are cut with the Art Philosophy Cartridge.  There is still time to get this amazing staple Cricut Cartridge FREE!  Click HERE for all the details...

It ended up being SUPER-easy to add the banner to the Tray with these clothes pins that I attached using my trusty, must-have-on-hand-at-all-times, Liquid Glass...

The overall feel of this frame is very elegant, so I used flowers from the Ivy Lane Assortment and the retired Frosted Assortment, AND was sure to add a very romantic Sparkles Flourish to this box...

Vellum, anyone?  One of my new favorite things is vellum!  I stamped this image from School Years with White Daisy Pigment Ink and zapped it with a heating tool to dry.  You always have  to be careful about placing adhesives on your vellum because it will show through.  One of my favorite methods for dealing with this is embellishing right over it!  I used the Rosewood Mini-Medley A here to do just that.  This picture was a true 4 x 6 which fit perfectly when chopped right down the middle due to the pose. 

And now my favorite Embellishment!  Ever since I got my hands on these White Marquee Enamel Shapes, I have loved the look of backing them with patterned papers.  I did that here to replace the "O" in this clever play on the word, "BEAUTIFUL" that I stamped with the Framework Alphabet.  My daughter is by no means afraid to be herself, and I am very grateful for that blessing.  This sums her up in one word perfectly.  

There you go!  This has been my ultimate labor of love project!  I just need you all to help me out with ONE little detail!  I cannot for the life of me decide what to do about the middle two boxes behind the banner.  Should I leave it black or add these green papers?  I don't like being so indecisive, and I really love it both ways, but what do YOU guys think!?  Please, please leave me a comment to let me know your thoughts!   :)  I will chose a winner at random from all the comments to send a little thank you gift to at the end of the week, ok?  Ready, set, go! 

ALSO!  Speaking of vellum...I wanted to show you a sneak peak of something you will see on tomorrow's Damask Divas Blog Hop project!  I have been waiting forever to share!  Are you as excited as I am?  :)

AND last but not least at all, today is THE LAST day to purchase the new consultant kit and receive your choice of Cricut Collection absolutely FREE!  No strings attached, I promise!  :)

Click HERE to see more or sign up for the kit! 

AND it is the LAST DAY to get your hands on the AWESOME stamp of the month on my website!

Can you handle one more?  AND it is the FINAL day to make any purchase and be entered to win the Mother's Day My Acrylix!!!  SHOP HERE on my website today for these deals!

Pick a Posey with Ivy Lane

I love making cards to bring a bit of sparkle to someone's day.  Here is a recent card I made for a friend that features the Ivy Lane Paper Packet and the Pick a Posey My Acrylix Stamp set.

I don't know what it is about a script-style patterned paper, but I just love them.  I matted this paper with a bit of Sweet Leaf Cardstock.  The sentiment I used is from the Lifting Spirits My Acrylix.  The shape behind the flower is a leftover cut from the Cricut Artiste Collection.  I save lots of extra cuts for occasions just like this! 

The beautiful Posey is stamped in Smokey Plum Exclusive Ink on the same color CS.  I LOVE that Close to My Heart has matching inks and cardstock!  I used the Mini Pigment Ink in Sweet Leaf found on the Whimsey Ink Tower to stamp the leaves directly on the Ivy Lane PP in the background.  The strip of paper through the middle of the background is a Zip Strip cut from the edge of the Ivy Lane Paper.  All of Close to My Heart's pattern papers have this feature, and they add a lot of "zip" to your projects, so are very aptly named!  ;) 

 I hand cut another flower stamped on Colonial White CS and placed it on the inside of the card...

I had originally tried it on the front this way, but opted for the darker flower...

I think the darker flower gave it more pop.  What about you?

Mojo Monday 331 with Ivy Lane

We interrupt your regularly scheduled blog posts with a quick challenge entry!  This one does double-duty today.  I recently received some new Paper Smooches stamps and dies, and when I saw the sketch for Mojo Monday 331, I knew EXACTLY what to do with them!  :)

I have had my eye on several different brands of jar stamps/dies, but the Paper Smooches version, Crystal Clear, finally won me over.  I thought this sketch was certainly begging for it--don't you?

I used the patterns in the Ivy Lane Paper Packet for bit of feminine flair on this card with the recipient in mind.  I created a jar full of hugs by adding a label shape from my leftover Cricut cuts--this one is found on the Cricut Artiste Cartridge exclusively from your friendly CTMH consultant, like ME!  ;)  The hand-drawn boarder I added matches the adorable stamped tag that I tied onto the jar with the brand new CTMH Baker's Twine Neutral Metallic Assortment.  I love the added bit of silver in there to go with the Silver Geometric Washi Tape I used to covered the jar lid.

The hugs sentiment on the jar label is from the Paper Smooches We Connect acrylic set.  I found that tiny heart on another new PS stamp set of mine, Scripty Sayings.  It was just the perfect addition to the tag since it complemented my lopsided hearts so well!  :)

Now, lets talk about these hearts.  The "lop" heart image is found on the Cricut Art Philosophy Cartridge that is also exclusively available from Close to My Heart.  ;)  I used three different sizes cut on REAL dial size--2, 1.5, and 1 inch, then inked all the patterned papers with Hollyhock ink on the edges to give it some separation. 

Now, I know this is not going to sound like me, but I wanted to keep the sparkle on this one to a minimum due to the circumstances behind the card.  The Flamingo Dots and retired Licorice Opaques were the perfect embellishments to add in this case.

Finally, I needed an element for that diagonal on the sketch.  I really wanted to draw in the grey color a bit more, so I grabbed my trusty Slate Striped Twist Ties!  I thought a little twisty embellishment would look nice in the heart cluster as well.

I am linking up with Mojo Monday as well as the Paper Smooches Sparks Challenge Blog for Anything Goes!  

Thanks for letting me sneak in another post today!  :)