Happy National Stamping Month!!!

Oh how I love September!!!  There is SO much stamping goodness going on right now on all the crafty blogs and sales GALORE I might add on lots of different stamp makers' websites.  I haven't NEARLY enough time to soak it all in right now, but I wanted to share with you some of the crafty fun happening over at Close to My Heart before the month just slips away! 

First of all there is an AMAZING new Stamp of the Month for September called Feel So Blessed. I can't wait to ink this one up!

Also, just for National Stamping Month, Close to My Heart has a BEAUtiful From the Heart Stamp set and Card Kit available this month!  Purchase the kit to get a 20% discount on the products!!!

Oh my goodness, these layered floral images are just gorgeous!!!  SO many possibilities and SO many amazing sentiments included in this set!

FINALLY, we are excited to bring you the new products and papers in the Holiday Expressions Catalog!

NOW, I have a little teaser photo to get you coming back to my blog soon!  I crafted this adorbs little turkey guy on a super easy easel card my friend, Shelly, showed me this summer...

I'll have the directions up soon for you!  Thanks for stopping in today!  :)

Last Chance for Hello, Life!

This is IT!  Today is the very last day to order the THREE fantastic Hello, Life sets from Close to My Heart to celebrate National Stamping Month!  Whether you scrapbook, pocket scrap, or create handmade cards, there is a set for you!  BEST of all they all coordinate together!

Here are my favorite creations with mine...

ANY local peeps who want to get these ordered, I will combine shipping to keep your costs down, so just get any last minute requests to my by 9pm tonight!  Thanks!

Don't forget the Stamp of the Month!  A new one comes out tomorrow!  :)

My Journey Through Bible Journaling

Not too long ago...OK so like a year or more ago, lol, I ran across some blog posts about Bible journaling.  I fell in love with the idea of getting to the heart of God's word with art.  After all, art is one of the ways I speak my life...so it seems totally natural for God to speak more clearly to ME through it.

I started researching the how-tos and what supplies I might need to add to my collection to get started, ahem.  (I need supplies.  Right.)  I picked out the bible I wanted to use...and waited what seemed like eons for it to be back in stock SOMEWHERE, lol.  I guess LOTS of people discovered Bible journaling about the same time as me!  ;)

So, that brings me to today when I can finally say I completed a page!  I went so long not knowing where to begin...well, that is until I remembered to start at the very beginning--a VERY good place to start...

If you want the quick low-down on my supplies for this page, here you go:

Animal Greetings
Great Job
Close to My Heart Mini Pigment Inks
Hello, Life 
Faber Castel Gelatos
Watercolor Paints
Brushes
Wink of Stella Glitter Brush
leftover Cricut cut (flower from Art Philosophy)

I probably could have planned the animal arrangement out a bit better, but I was a teeeeeny bit excited.  ;)

I think I need some more animals to fill in the gaps...

My bunny was trapped by the fold of the spine...it hit my stamping block.  Ooops!

I stamped the leaf, sun, and planet with my Watercolor Paints.

Now, remember--I am NOT in any way a good sketch/drawing/painting artist.  Shoot, I hardly even like my own handwriting most of the time.  I stamp.  I color.  I cut paper.  I did the things I DO, not the things I don't.  And it was good.  :)

I will share lots more about my Bible Journaling Journey, so stay tuned!

This is the set I used from Hello, Life!

Freshly Made Watercolor

I definitely needed a bit of paper therapy today, so I stopped in to check out the new sketch at Freshly Made Sketches.  I instantly recognized one of the shapes, so off I went...

I flipped this sketch 180 degrees to start.  Then I used a negative Cricut cut lying on my desk as my focal point.  It is from the new Close to My Heart Artistry Cricut Collection.

I had experimented with my CTMH watercolor paints and brushes a couple of weekends ago, so I figured it was time to use the results finally in a project.  This is the swatch of watercolor paper that I started with...

I just lined up the portion I wanted to show through the butterfly and used another section to back them both.

Love how the banner image fit this sketch so perfectly!  See the bit of sparkle in the sentiment?  I added a splatter of Grey Enamel Gems too.

The sentiment and star images are all found on the limited edition Hello, Life My Acrylix from Close to My Heart.  It is one of 3 coordinating stamp sets released for the celebration of National Stamping Month in September.  I absolutely love the chevron images on the sets!  I even used the heart as a little accent on the inside of my card...

That was some MUCH needed paper therapy...and I feel the need for a bit more coming on... Thanks for stopping in to see my card, and have a sparkly weekend!

Make it Colorful!

Just $13.95 each or save when you buy all three!

Damask Divas Nevermore Blog Hop!

Happy September!!!  You are hopping along with the Damask Divas Nevermore Blog Hop today, so lets get right to my creation...

If you came from Melissa's Blog, you are on the right track.  If not, you can find the entire line-up of talented Divas on the Damask Divas Blog HERE.

I am definitely not a Halloween person, so I chose to show you the softer side of this beautiful patterned paper in the packet...

This gorgeous bloom is one of the classic images in the September Stamp of the Month.  I stamped in three NEW Close to My Heart colors:  Eggplant, Fern, and Pomegranate.  Behind it run two strips of the new Silver Foil Tape!  I really love the metallic look mixed with the soft floral.  In order to give my flower some dimension, I used my stylus tool to create creases in the petals like this...

I used another image from the Stamp of the Month to create the background for my sentiment.  Then, I found this perfect sentiment on one of the National Stamping Month exclusive My Acrylix sets...

Bling required, of course!  I added some Silver Sequins and Silver Glitter Paper.

If you don't already have your own amazing Close to My Heart Consultant, then you are welcome to find all of these NEW products on my website HERE!

Now, you can link on over to Jennifer's Blog and hop all over from the beginning!  Remember, you can see the entire line-up of super-talented Divas over at the Damask Divas Blog!  Thanks for hopping with us!

Hello, Life!

Paper Garden, September 2015 Stamp of the Month

National Stamping Month: September 2013

Get Ready for National Stamping Month!

That's right!  There IS such a thing, lol!!!  And I can't think of a better way to celebrate than a special My Acrylix set from Close to My Heart.  This is a Double D set (ok, go ahead and giggle, I did too!) set with a retail value of $35.90--BUT you can get it for JUST $5 with a $35 purchase from August 15th through the end of September!  Here it is:

 I know, you are thinking, "NO WAY!!!"  Well, YES WAY, it is true!!!  Here is my tribute to this amazing set of stamps that is perfect for scrappin'.  I combined the specials from National Scrapbook Month (Dotty For You paper pack) and National Stamping Month (It's Your Day My Acrylix Stamps) to make this crazy-fun layout:

Sorry for the glare.  I don't know if you can tell, but the swimsuit she is wearing in this one has chevrons on it!  Now tell me that it wasn't begging to be in a layout!

These dots are so much fun to add as a background.  I think the 'love this' arrow is going to get quite a bit of use out of me!

This circle is just the right size for a 1.25" circle punch!

I added this bit of twine after the fact--what do you think?  Twine or no twine?   Either way, I just HAD to make these fun letters with the dots on them from the Art Philosophy cartridge, then I popped them up with foam tape to add some dimension.

 I think I am addicted to tags for a journalling box as much as I love matting my photos now!  ;)

Remember, this special starts WEDNESDAY, August 15th (tomorrow!)  :)