No Worries...It's a Box Card!

Oh man...time is ticking and August is almost over!  I have a few more projects to show you with some retiring products, and just three days left, so let's get cracking!

I LOVE this box card that I made using the retired Seaside paper and the soon retiring No Worries Scrapbooking and Cardmaking Stamps and Die sets...

I absolutely adore the Box Card Die set from Lawn Fawn...I may have mentioned that before, lol.
The box folds flat into a standard size A2 envelope!  Really!

The images from these stamps look great in the bright colors I used:  Glacier, Lagoon, Willow, Tangerine, and the new Toffee.  I colored over the palm tree trunks with the Mahogany ShinHan Marker.

These fun beach-themed stamps retire with the Seasonal Expressions at the end of August, so grab them before they disappear!  Today is the LAST Warehouse Sale product change, so be sure to check out these products at 50% savings!!!

You guessed it, the School Year Stamp of the Month is going soon too!!!

Freshly Made Seaside Celebration!

Looks like I picked the PERFECT weekend to get crafty again! 

Freshly Made Sketches is celebrating their 200th sketch challenge just in time for me to jump in and play along...

I made this card to give my oldest as she heads off this week for another year away at college--on the beach.  What can I say, she has it rough, lol. 

I used one of my favorite papers right now, the soon to be retired Seaside Paper Packet from Close to My Heart.  I added some Champagne CS for the sand, Desert Sand and Cocoa Exclusive Inks, and a wonderful fence image from the Seaside Greetings My Acrylix to recreate the sketch.  Then I added my chosen sentiment from the Documenting Moments My Acrylix by not inking up the last word on the stamp.

Congratulations to Freshly Made Sketches on their 200th sketch!!!  A great BIG THANK YOU for keeping me inspired!

Be sure to come back on Wednesday to see the Display Tray I re-created that proved to be my inspiration for the background on this one! :)

FREE stamp with the new Marker Roll Up this month!

Three Challenges in One!

Alright, it sure isn't often that you just hit that SWEET spot when crafting, but everything lined up JUST right to make this special birthday card and it all started with this simple-tastic sketch from Jen for Freshly Made Sketches...

It also started with a great little bit of theme and color inspiration with this picture from the MCT Challenge!

The card was going to be for my daughter's birthday next month, so I selected just the perfect paper from Close to My Heart called Seaside.

The paper strip at the top is from the Blossom Paper Packet also from CTMH.

I knew right away when I saw the sketch that I wanted to use my neglected Paper Smooches Happy Birthday die for the sentiment...

If you read my blog regularly, you might know my big kid went off to college this past year for the first time EVER. Her campus has a very unique system of transportation via yellow bikes that you just grab and go.  I could not WAIT to use the MCT Way to Go dies to make one for the card!  She is going to LOVE it!

I used Canary CS from CTMH and a black from my stash that has a little bit of a texture.

I always like to add a bit of sparkle to my cards, and the almond glitter glitz gel I used for the sand is actually on clearance on my website right now!  :)

I cannot believe I made it work for all three challenges this week!  Thanks to all the DTs for all the amazing inspiration each month, and thanks to YOU for peeking in on me today!  :)

Throwback to Close to My Heart Convention

The time is getting closer for the annual Close to My Heart Convention--this year being held again at Disneyland!  I am certainly going to miss the celebration this year.  Here is one of the fantastic projects we were spoiled with at creative sessions last year...I have had it completed for a while, but haven't been able to get it posted up here yet.

We used both the Wanderful and Seaside Paper Packets for this versatile layout along with Flaxen, Glacier, and Black inks.

The Handwritten Alphabet is a fabulous font for scrapbook layout titles...

Some of the other My Acrylix stamp sets featured here are Glitter Glam,   Happy Birds,  and Here We Go.

Even though I won't be there, I still cannot wait to see what new products and ideas Convention holds this year!

Taste of Summer is almost GONE!

Typed Note for National Scrapbook Day Card Workshop

Hey there!  Becca will be back for one more visit on my blog, but for now, enjoy another card you can make at my upcoming workshop on the evening of May 2nd.  This one uses the April Stamp of the Month from Close to My Heart.  It is SUCH a versatile set!  You will be able to choose from several sentiments to make a little card kit for this one to keep on hand for any occasion!

I used the Seaside and Snowhaven Paper Packets for this one--opposites attract!  

A sprinkle of Oceanside Sequins makes any card sparkle!

I based this design off my earlier creation using the same stamps--but I made it workshop friendly with a cute little knot of Black Striped Twill Ribbon.  You can see my original creation with these same supplies HERE.

For my workshop, you can stamp several "sheets" of typing paper with different sentiments.  Later, you can just add them to the card as needed.  I used glue dots and a couple of squares to pop it up and give it a 3D feel.

This is one of my FAVORITE sentiments in the set!  I wonder why?  ;)

Anyway, I am super excited to host a National Scrapbook Day crop followed by a card workshop on May 2nd.  RSVP to save a spot so you can make this card!  :)

Washi Wednesday with Paper Bird

Welcome back to my blog and another week with washi fun!  I have a wonderful nature-themed card to share with you today for Earth Day.

Did you know there are two NEW hostess rewards stamp sets that debuted with the Seasonal Expressions 2 supplement from Close to My Heart?  Yep!  Here is my favorite...Paper Bird.

This set is super-versatile.  I used it to design this sympathy card for my upcoming workshop.

The bird is really a lovely image to use on this sort of card.  I used Glacier and Desert Sand Inks along with Flaxen CS matting the White Daisy panel.  A length of Gold Polka Dot Washi Tape runs behind it on top of the Seaside Pattern Paper.  I also inked the paper edges with Desert Sand.  I really love how the ink color mimics the gold in the washi.

This card is great to use for men OR women, so it really is perfect to have on-hand. 

If you want to make this card along with others I will be showing soon, just RSVP to my National Scrapbook Day Card Workshop being held on Saturday, May 2nd at 7pm.  :)

Only in April!

Paper Addicts UNITE: Time to Clean Out the Scraps!

Are YOU a paper addict?  Don't worry, you can say it--what happens on my blog, stays on my blog, lol.   I just LOVE my friend Becca's layout using her "scraps!"  Brilliant.  Enjoy her post today!


Hello, my name is Becca Whitham and I'm a paper addict.  I save itsy, bitsy, teensy, weensy pieces because I think I'll use them all--someday!  Well, with an "overseas" move looming in my future, it's time to start purging scraps.

For design team duties over at Amie Kiger's blog, I decided to cut hexagons using the Artbooking cartridge until I had used up several scraps.  But then I went and trimmed out even more pieces with scissors using the Cricut cut hexagons as guides.  Here's what I had when I was done:

Then I pieced them together to make this scrapbook page:

Here's the supply list (with links for your shopping convenience):

• Paper: Seaside, Snowhaven, Wanderful, Chalk It Up, Brushed
• Accessories: Thick Twine in Pixie, Flaxen, and Glacier
• Tools: Artbooking Cricut Cartridge

Don't be intimidated by the number of paper packs used on this example.  One of the great things about CTMH patterned paper is that they are printed on both sides.  You can cut your hexagons, flip some of them over, and you'd achieve the same effect.

You'll notice that I wasn't trying to be fussy about lining up the hexagons symmetrically.  The scraps which were only small bits required me to use a random approach. 

Using multiple colors in little bits like this is great for two types of scrapbook pages: 1) where the photo itself doesn't have many colors (like this one), and 2) when there are lots of different colors in your pictures (like maybe a birthday party where your' guests weren't kind enough to wear color coordinated outfits).

I actually used up six scraps to the point of having to throw out what was left over.  I'm so proud of myself!

Until next time,
Becca --

Don't Lose A Finger with Typed Note

Are you ready for another FANTASTIC Friday visit from the FABULOUS Becca Whitham?  I am!  You will be too, when you see the super tips and tricks she has to share today using the April 2015 Stamp of the Month, Typed Note, from Close to My Heart.  :)

Some things are worth the wait...like the April Stamp of the Month from CTMH.  Every since I got my catalog in August, I've been drooling over this stamp set.  Love, LoVe, LOVE it!!

I went really basic with my card.  The image has so much interest in it that it doesn't require much help.  I don't normally do much with the inside of my cards, but I had a little bit of fun with this one.

Here's the supply list (with links for you shopping convenience):

Stamps: Typed Note
Ink: Black (dye), White Daisy (pigment)
Paper: Seaside, Black cardstock, White Daisy cardstock
Accessories: Gold Sequins, Black Arrow Washi tape, Liquid Glass, Chalk Marker, Journaling Pen
ShinHan Markers: Colorless Blender, WG4 Warm Grey
Tools: Micro-tip Scissors
Non-CTMH: X-acto knife

For the paper coming out of the typewriter, I did a few things to add interest.  One of the great things about clear stamps is you aren't always stuck with the image as shown.  CTMH very kindly left a hole in the stamp where the paper is.  This allowed me to bend it into a more interesting shape.  It doesn't hurt the stamp; the image will correct back to it's normal shape as soon as you take it off the acrylic block.  Here's a close up so you can see it a little better.

One of the things you have to watch out for when you bend a stamp is that parts of it can come off the acrylic block and get ink on it.  My original intent wasn't to do two sheets of paper, but I ended up with a blob of black ink on the right-hand side of my bottom paper sheet.  Working on the premise that almost all mistakes are fixable, I stamped the second piece of paper on a scratch piece of white cardstock, cut it out, used and X-acto knife to cut a slit, and shoved the second piece of paper through. It was a tight fit which caused the top sheet to warp.  I put a dot of Liquid Glass over my mess, pressed the corner of the top sheet into it until it held, and Voila!  I really, really like how it ended up adding interest and dimension.

If you look carefully, you can see where I shaded around the typewriter and paper with the ShinHan marker.  I forget where I learned this trick, but adding that "halo" of shading around an image gives it great "pop".  The warm grey marker is too intense on it's own, so I scribbled it onto an acrylic block and then picked it up with the colorless blender for that nice, soft shade.

One word of caution...  Since I used pigment ink on the hand image, I cleaned it by scrubbing it against a pad with little bristles.  It's not the CTMH one, but it is made specifically for stamping.  The tip of the finger broke off.  **Sad Face**  Thank goodness CTMH has such a great return policy!

I can't wait to scrapbook with this set.  I've been holding off doing the pages for signing my book deal waiting to get this set in my inky fingers. Yay!!

Until next time,
Becca --

Thank you so much, Becca!!!  Make sure you guys go leave her some blog love!  :)

She is totally right about Close to My Heart--our return policy is pretty fantastic, and your consultant can help you to always be 100% happy with your purchases if something isn't quite right.  Always inspect your stamps and other products within the first 90 days so you can get any items replaced or exchanged, should they need to be--just like the situation with which I will be assisting Becca!  Our Acrylic stamps are pretty sturdy for the most part, but occasionally the unexpected can happen, and we are no exception. 

Now, if you like that stamp set as much as I do, you want to get it in April because it is only around for one month!  Take a peek at it on my website below...

Introducing the 2015 April Stamp of the Month from Close to My Heart

I loved this set from the moment I laid eyes on it!  Unfortunately I had to wait nine whole months before it was released, lol!  Here is an easy, but beautiful way to use the Stamp of the Month for April.

I used the papers from both the Seaside Paper Packet and the Snowhaven Paper Packet--opposing seasons that came together flawlessly!  :)

The Black Striped Twill Ribbon is easy to trim and stays tied nicely.  The Oceanside Sequins Assortment include two blue hues as well as a gray and off-white.  They worked PERFECTLY with the Whisper CS and twill ribbon!  :)

Here is a look at all the sentiments included in this set...

Just like always, the Stamp of the Month is available for JUST one month.  You can pick it up at the regular price of $17.95, OR you can get it for just $5 with a $50 purchase!

Don't wait to pick this one up, because my March Madness Mystery Hostess gathering is STILL going on!  Head over to my website, place an order, and you could win the hostess rewards!  :)

Seaside for Spring Break!

Greetings from spring break!  I used the Seaside Paper Packet from Close to My Heart to scrap some pics from spring breaks past...don't judge, I have LOTS of years to catch up on!  ;)

The Brown and Tan Glitter Paper sure looks GREAT with this color combo...and the zip strips from the pattern papers make FANTASTIC journaling strips!

That's my shadow at the bottom, not a smudge, lol...

I used Desert Sand CS and Ink to create this complementary layout.  The seashell images are found on the Treasured Friendship My Acrylix stamp set, and the little antiqued gold shapes are in the Seaside Assortment.  

LOVE this paper for my beach pics...stick around all week for more!  :)

Shop my Mystery Hostess Giveaway and win FREE CTMH products!!!