Merry Little Christmas

I pulled out the Be Jolly hostess stamp set to create this simple card.

I paired it with one of the papers from Snowhaven.

I used a circle punch on the patterned paper, adhered it to the card base, and then stamped the sentiment with Black ink.

I colored the branch by using Glacier ink and a blending pen.  And I used an old Cranberry marker to color in the berries and "Merry".

Added a couple of adhesive stars and that was it.  So easy.

Happy creating!  :)

Supplies used (all CTMH unless otherwise noted):
Paper:  Snowhaven; White Daisy CS
Stamp:  Be Jolly - hostess set
Inks:  Black, Glacier, and a Cranberry marker - retired
Embellishments:  Black adhesive stars
Other:  2 1/4" circle punch (EK), Blender pen

Tis the Season and Let It Snow (Be Jolly)

I created these two holiday cards using the Be Jolly hostess set.

Be Jolly costs only $6 (available only with Hostess rewards) and has four terrific images, and you can see all of them on page 7 of the current catalog. 

I used Versamark and Black ink to stamp the images, then sprinkled Clear Embossing Powder over top and heat set.

Then I took my Blender pen and used Glacier ink to color the leaves and branches, and I used an old Cranberry marker to color in the hearts, berries and the word Jolly.

I ran strips of 3D foam tape just along the edges of the "cut-outs" to make it pop, but secured the further edges with regular adhesive.

Happy creating!  :)

Supplies used (all CTMH):

Paper:  Snowhaven; White Daisy CS

Stamp:  Be Jolly - hostess

Inks:  Glacier, Black, Versamark, Cranberry marker - retired

Other:  Clear Embossing Powder, Blender Pen, Micro-tip Scissors, 3D Foam Tape

Love... #30yearsofhappy

Here's another card I made using the #30yearsofhappy stamp set.

With 30 images in this set, you can find an image for so many different themes.

This time I decided to create a Valentine's card.

Happy creating!  :)

Supplies used (all CTMH unless otherwise noted):

Paper:  White Daisy, Slate CS

Stamp:  #30yearsofhappy

Inks:  Ruby, Pixie, Slate

Embellishments:  Clear sparkles, Grey Baker's Twine

Other:  1" and 1 1/8" circle punches (EK), 3D foam tape

You Did It!... #30yearsofhappy

Here's another 3x3 card I created using the #30yearsofhappy stamp set.

(Available only until September 30th.)

Happy creating!  :)

Supplies used (all CTMH unless otherwise noted):
Paper:  White Daisy, Black, Lagoon CS
Stamp:  #30yearsofhappy
Inks:  Black, Whisper
Embellishments:  Teal shimmer trim, Chalk It Up Assortment
Other:  3/4" and 1" circle punches (EK), 3D foam tape, Micro-tip scissors

Thinking Of You... #30yearsofhappy

I made this little cutie using the Close To My Heart #30yearsofhappy stamp set, which is available only until the end of the month for FREE with a $30 purchase of regular priced stamp sets.

It has 30 images in the set!

I will share a couple more cards that I made with images from this set over the next few days...

Happy creating!  :)

Supplies used (all CTMH):
Paper:  White Daisy CS
Stamp:  #30yearsofhappy
Inks:  Lagoon, Thistle
Embellishments:  Purple shimmer trim, Aqua dots
Other:  Micro-tip scissors, Stardust Glitz Glitter Gel - retired, 3D foam tape

Creative Blogger Nomination

♥

I am honored to be nominated as a Creative Blogger by fellow CTMH Consultant, Kelly Janes. 
Check out her blog, it is full of great ideas and some seriously cute stuff!

We are joining up as a chain of fun blog hop tours, where we will get to meet new bloggers, get new inspiration and connect with blogs that will open up our creativity. 

This blog hop is sure to be a great inspiration. 

I hope you hop along with us.

Here are my 4 questions I need to answer before I pass along my nominations…

1)      What am I currently working on?

I have nothing in the works right now to be honest, and everything on the go.  I am a “create by the seat of my pants of whatever I’m in the mood to work on until I get interrupted” kind of papercrafter. 

I just finished creating a Christmas cards workshop, and I have since just created a few cards for challenges and for my own personal need of being creative.  I always seem to have other projects of mid-creation on one of my tables in my studio though.  Like the Picture My Life project I began in July (from my week-long visit with my sister), which I then set aside to work on other stuff.  I know I will get back to it when the mood strikes.  That’s just how I roll.  Haha.

2)      How does my work differ from others in its genre?

Um, hopefully I’m not the only one who doesn’t really understand this question.  Lol

But seriously, I mostly just wing-it and try to create something that I find appeasing to my eye, that has some sense of balance of shape and color, and that in the end it just makes me happy to look at. 

I am always open to anything new (whether it be products, styles or whatever), and I hope that I never seem like I am stuck in a creative rut.  I want to creatively inspire people, in the same way that I love to be inspired. 

3)      Why do I create what I do?

Mostly, I create out of the desperate need to be creative.  I get cranky when I can’t be creative.  Just ask my hubby.  Hehe.  I have always been the type of person who needed quiet time to do my own thing, and this whole world of papercrafting has become my outlet.  I am at my happiest when I get to play!  I don’t create often for a real purpose, to be honest.  Only when I join group blog hops, ect. 

4)      How does my creative process work?

My creative process works in many, many ways.  Lots of time I see something that catches my eye and I have to re-create it whether almost completely lifting it, or taking a color scheme or design or something from it and making it my own.  Love Pinterest for that.  I have found that the more techniques and ideas I try, the better my crafting seems to get.  I don't know about you, but I get so excited when I learn something new…

Other times, I may wake from a dream and have something in mind that I want to make.  Ya, that happens. 

More often though, when I am feeling like I want to create something like a card, I will grab a stamp set I want to use and build a card or project around a specific theme or image from the set.  

But if it is a layout I feel like creating, I usually prefer to have photos to take color ques from and then I build the layout around my photos.  And there definitely are times when I just want to make a layout and don’t have photos.  Although I find I don’t actually use those layouts often enough.  Oops.  But I sure had fun making them! 

Seriously, when it comes to my papercrafting,  I work on a whim.  It's just my "thing"!  ♥

So… now I get to nominate some inspiring bloggers.

I nominate Brenda Rose, and Karen Pedersen.  

Not only do they pump out the most inspiring, awesome artwork, but they both exude a deep loveliness that carries through their words and touch you on a personal level.  I luv these ladies! 

Check out their blogs, you will not be disappointed.  ;)

♥

Chalk It Up... a Sweet Cherry Inkers' Team Challenge!

Before I share my cards with you today, I just want to take a moment to thank you for the kind words on my previous post.  Brought tears to my eyes.  ;)

~~~~~~~

As a Close To My Heart Consultant, I am part of a team and our group has a private Facebook page.

Angela Fehr, one of our team members from Sweet Cherry Inkers, began a new monthly challenge for the members of our group.

This month, the theme is Chalk It Up, where she asks us to create anything we want that is inspired by chalk art.  (We can earn extra points by using Chalk It Up papers and the September stamp of the month - which I don't have yet.)

So this is what I created, taking the chalk art idea even further...

It may not be very noticeable in the picture, but the little pumpkin is opaque in the above card.  I achieved that effect by using my blender pen and painting White Daisy pigment ink onto the pumpkin.  It gives it a ghosting type of look.

After the images were stamped with White Daisy pigment ink, I sprinkled clear embossing powder over top and heat set them.  Then I took a sponge and lightly rubbed White Daisy pigment ink randomly over top (for both cards) to give them both the look of a used chalkboard.

Super cute, hey?

Happy creating!  :)

Supplies used (all CTMH unless otherwise noted):

Happy Halloween card:

Paper:  Chalk It Up; Black, White Daisy CS

Stamps:  What A Hoot! - Aug SOTM, Stitch Wonder, Card Word Puzzle - retired, Save the Date - retired

Inks:  Black, White Daisy pigment

Embellishment:  Chalk It Up Assortment

Other:  Micro-tip scissors, Blender pen, 3D foam tape, Clear detail embossing powder, Corner Chomper (WRMK), Sponge

Life Is Wonderful card:

Paper:  Chalk It Up; Black, White Daisy CS

Stamps:  Life Is Wonderful - upcoming July SOTM, Stitch Wonder

Inks:  Black, White Daisy pigment

Embellishment:  Chalk It Up Assortment

Other:  Micro-tip scissors, 3D foam tape, Clear detail embossing powder, Sponge

We Support Teachers

So a lot of you who follow my blog may not live around here, so you may not have heard about the Teacher's Strike going on in BC.

It began back in May (or was it April? or earlier?) with rotating strikes, until the Government locked them out in June, which caused our summer vacay for the kids to begin about a week or two early this year.

Well, school was scheduled to begin on Sept. 2nd, but there is still no agreement in place so no school for our kids.

A lot of people are frustrated with the teachers.  A lot of people are frustrated with the Government.

As a parent, I personally side with the teachers.  I want what is best for our kids.  And seriously, the teachers are not getting paid enough, the class sizes are too big, and the class composition is difficult and tricky.  I believe that.

I couldn't do what these people do everyday.  We are losing good teachers over this.  They are taking jobs elsewhere (most out of necessity for the need to work, and some by choice) and some are talking about not returning.  

Earliest I can see this being resolved is not until at least mid-Oct, whether the teachers are forced back to work or the Government is forced to uphold their original agreement that they backed out on (shame on them), and I hope I am wrong on that far-away date, but I am not holding my breath.  

Anyways, I could go on and on and on... BUT...

I made a card.  To honor the teachers.  Just so you know that you are appreciated.  ♥

♥

Supplies used (all CTMH unless otherwise noted):

Paper:  Chalk It Up; White Daisy, Sorbet, Whisper CS; Flaxen Paper Fundamentals

Stamps:  What A Hoot! - Aug SOTM, You Are My Happy - past special, Keyboard Uppercase, Wild About Love - past SOTM

Inks:  Black, Lagoon, Flaxen, Sorbet

Embellishments:  Chalk It Up Assortment, Keyboard Kraft Alpha - retired

Other:  Black journal pen, Blender pen, 3D foam tape, Scissors, 1/2" and 2 1/4" and 2 1/2" circle punches (EK)