Paper Pizazz!

Welcome to a new blog hop from the ladies at Blog Hops with Heart!

This month we are highlighting some of our favorite specialty papers in the Paper Pizazz Blog Hop!

Here's my delicious creation...

I used the new Thin Cuts Basic Circle Tag Dies from Close to My Heart to create an adorable card and gift box combo!  By adding the included oval in the lid of the Gift Card Box, I was able to place a bit of vellum over it for visual interest and a peek at the goodies inside...

I used that same oval that I cut from the lid to ink my sentiment for the card!  See the little peek of vellum behind the hearts?  Speaking of hearts, I just HAD to add some glitter paper for some added sparkle!  The pattern papers I used are from the Fundamentals Whimsy and Adventure Papers.

Now you are off to JAYMA'S Blog!  We hope you enjoy our jazzy paper creations on the  hop!

Here are the participants:

Amie (that's Me!)

Jayma

Becca

Hello, You Wonderful Sketch!

Happy WEEEEEKEND!!!  In case you are NOT a scrapbooker, today is National Scrapbooking Day, so I will be celebrating quite a bit in my craft cave with my papers and pictures.  :)

Before I get all down to serious scrappin' though, I wanted to share my latest entry for the Freshly Made Sketches Challenge Blog.  It has been quite a while since I had time to play along!  This gorgeous sketch was JUST perfect to jump in on!

I was soooo ready to break out the Hello Wonderful My Acrylix for the round element of this sketch--and I have reeeeeealy been wanting to stamp it in White Daisy Pigment Ink--on Kraft!  I thought the Ariana Paper Packet had just the right floral pattern to go along with...and JUST happened to have a left-over border from a mini album to use!  (Pssst...always save those extra cuts!)

I embossed the Ariana Green CS in my Sizzix Big Shot using one of the new Embossing folders from Close to My Heart--a beautiful Damask to match the pattern on the stamp.

I have been playing with vellum quite a bit lately, and I think it added the perfect softness to the lines in the sketch...

Now, I decided after the fact to add some Bronze Shimmer Trim to this one...I cannot believe how wishy-washy I have been lately about what to add or not to my projects...

I think it is safe to say that a little bit of shimmer trim never hurt anything!  ;)

Have a great time celebrating National Scrapbooking Day!  There are TONS of online events today.  Are you going to be playing along with any? 

Here is the paper packet that Close to My Heart is celebrating with this month--it is called Free to Be Me, and you can pick one up for just $5 in May!

Tag (You're It!) Tuesday and the Changing Challenge

Hey!  Welcome back to my corner of the blogosphere!  Have you ever started out making something for one challenge, and it morphs into another one before you eyes?  Well, THAT, my friends is what I am talking about today...and I even tied a tag in for Tag (You're It!) Tuesday!

It all started when I set out to make a monochromatic color scheme for the MCT Designer's Challenge in WHITE.  HOWEVER, I could NOT keep from adding some color, and so the way it ended up, I laid it out for a completely different challenge--CAS(E) this Sketch!

After I cut the tag, clouds, and back piece of vellum, I realized rather quickly that this sunshine just HAD to be yellow.  NO way around it...so there went the monochromatic part of the card already, lol.

I used a few of my favorite MCT stamps and dies for this one.  The background panel is a piece of vellum that I embossed with the Close to My Heart Chevron Embossing Folder.  That unique and genius cut across the bottom--was a total accident!  LOL!  I pulled the vellum out of the folder, and it started to break apart at the zigs and zags...so I went with it!  When you are creating, trust me when I say mistakes are sometimes your BFF!  ;)

The sun is cut on Babycakes Pattern Paper and Honey CS using the CTMH Cricut Art Philosophy Cartridge.  This was Close to My Heart's very first Cricut Cart, and it is one of the most solidly designed with fantastic basics and staple cuts like circles and label shapes.  Need a sun--you got it! 

The cloudy background from MCT looks fab whether stamped in a solid way or rapidly done for a more rugged look.  I inked it up with Sky Exclusive ink on this tag.  Those flat-bottom clouds are some of my faves!

That darling little butterfly is die cut vellum that has been colored with my Alcohol Ink Marker in Smoothie, and glittered up with the Wink of Stella Glitter Brush Marker.  SO.  MUCH.  FUN!

Tell me this one didn't NEED those bursts of color!  ;)

Close to My Heart Spring and Summer 2014 Idea Book Sneak Peek!

Oh my goodness, do I ever love CAS (clean and simple) cards now!  I just whipped up this card in no time because I totally forgot to play alone with FMS #118 yesterday!  I had to get this linked up pronto, so here we go!  Here is the sketch:

So, I just got my preview products this weekend from the brand new Close to My Heart Spring and Summer 2014 Idea Book, and wanted to use this perfect stamp for the idea playing around in my head.  It is called Newlyweds, and is one of the new M sized stamps being released February 1st!  I wanted to do a white on white, clean card and decided to glam it up with some glitter and vellum.  Here's what I came up with!

I heat embossed the stamped images with silver embossing powder to give the card an even more formal feel. 

The embossing folder I used on the background is from Provo for Cuttlebug called Divine Swirls which I ran through my Sizzix Big Shot machine.  I cannot wait to get my hands on the new CTMH embossing folders that we will have soon!  *squeals*  ;) 

The silver glitter paper (my favorite!) is also from Close to My Heart!  I just love the strip of vellum that I cleverly attached both behind the embossed panel and underneath the sentiment box.  Vellum is tricky like that and you need to place your adhesive very carefully so as to not show through.  :)

Be sure to keep checking my blog for more sneak peeks of the new Idea Book, and come back February 1st for all the new products!

Want to get the new products at a discount before anyone else instead of seeing sneak peeks?  Now is the perfect time to get the new CTMH consultant kit for just $99!  You get over $300 worth of amazing new products to play with and a chance to earn the Cloud Nine Card Kit containing even more new products for FREE!  The choice is yours whether you want to start up your very own business or continue as a hobbyist.  There is absolutely no commitment.  Here is a look at the kit, and a link to find out more about joining my team, Been There, Blinged That! 

Contact me at mimimyselfandi@outlook.com if you would like to learn more or have any questions!