Father's Day Take #2 Using AHSC #5

I've been having so much creating using my own sketches over at Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge.  Darla and I have been busy every week prepping for the next weeks posts.  Darla is the techy behind my sketches. Once I've sketched out my ideas, I forward them to her, and she turns them into a digital copy.

So once again here is the sketch for this week:

This is what I created using this sketch:

I made another Father's Day card using Chocolate and Desert Sand Cardstock.  The cardbase is Chocolate CS with a layer of Desert Sand which I spritz with water, crinkled and then laid flat to dry. I then gave it a light sanding to enhance the faux leather look.  I also used this technique with the layer of Chocolate cardstock. I added 3 brads, and some faux stitching to add some light details.  Then for the sentiment I used the World's Best Dad stamp from the stamp set.  I added shadowing by stamping in 2nd generation chocolate then stamping with a Chocolate Pigment ink so that I could Heat Emboss the top, I stamped overtop of my first stamp, but slightly to the left creating that shadow.

Now don't forget to head over to the Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge and check out what our Design Team has created.

Teacher/Volunteer Gifts

Recently I had been asked by my daughter's principal to stamp some of our Muslim bags for Teacher Appreciation Week.   That came about from me making all the treats to send into my daughter's class at holidays.  Halloween was treat bags, and Christmas I did treat bags too, but done up as Santa's.  Then when we had the Whooo's Your Valentine promotion I made the treat tubes for her class, always making enough for her to give one to her teacher and principal.  Score one for me.

Not only did I have 51 Muslim bags to stamp, but I also got a call from another local Elementary school, and the principal there also wanted me to make some gifts for the teachers and volunteers at her school.  I sent up a current cattie for her to look at so she could see some of the artwork and some items that would make good gifts.  She choose 4 projects and asked me to make samples for her.  She choose 2 items, the first is to be ready for June 7th, but I finished them today.  Yeah....and I also remembered to document a little as I went along.  

The first gift she asked for was 20 pillow boxes, and she decided she didn't want them to be our new clear ones, I cut them from White Daisy Cardstock.  Then using the current promotion, Dream Pop paper packet, I added a layer on top using just a few of the patterns.  The bottom layer was cut on the circut which has a matching Frame from the Perfect Fit - Frames 2 I stamped it in Sunset.  The next layer on the tag is a stamp from a coordinating Stamp that comes with the Art Philosophy Cricut Cartridge, so that was cut out using the cricut too.  The middle layer is stamped in Lagoon, and the top layer in Hollyhock. There are pieces of 3D foam tape between each layer, as well as between the tag and the pillow box.

Monday means a new Sketch at AHSC

Sketch #5

What will you create using this weeks Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge?

We hope you play along, and don't forget to come back on Wednesday to see my creation using this sketch.  

But I have a treat instore for you today, I've made 2 cards which I will use in my upcoming card class too!  The reason I made these cards is that we are getting close to the wedding season, and my girlfriend is getting married this summer, her colors include Navy(Outdoor Denim), so I incorporated the color into the cards.  I made one to go with her Bridal Shower gift, and the second card will be her wedding card.

For these cards I used a White card base, and added a piece of patterned For Always as a mat.  Adding a second mat in white CS then I took a second piece of  patterned For Always, and applied the Direct ink technique to color it the Outdoor Denim color.  Added a strip of the zipstrip found at the top of each patterned page, and then used the Frame Flair Stamp set to frame each sentiment.

 If you don't remember the Picture frame I covered I've posted it here again.

Super Dad Father's Day Card for Sketch #4 AHSC

Have you been playing along?  I know, the kids have been sick, or maybe you've had alot of gardening that needed to get done, well whatever has been keeping you from playing along with our weekly Sketch Challenge over at Atlantic Hearts we hope you can find some time for yourself and play along.  Did I mention I am a co-founder of this Sketch Challenge along with my good friend Darla, you can go here to see her take on my sketch,(but not before checking my card out).

This week, I have used my Sketch to make a Father's Day card.  Here is the Sketch:

This is what I created using this Sketch:

Starting with a Black Cardstock Card Base, I then added a Cranberry Mat.  I used a chipboard star which is a Dimensional Element from Close To My Heart and inked the edges with Outdoor Denim.  Then I added to layeres of Cardstock, the bottom is Outdoor Denim, the smaller is Honey.  I then stitched the 2 pieces together before adhering it to the chipboard.  The Ribbon is retired Outdoor Denim ribbon, which I adhered using Liquid Glass.  Then added some bling which is the Black Opaque adhesive gems.  The sentiment is stamped using the Hodge Podge Alphabet to spell out Super Dad, which is stamped in Outdoor Denim Pigment ink and then Heat Embossed with Clear Embossing Powder.

I hope you will visit our Sketch Blog and play along with us, but now you can pop over to our blog, and see what our Design Team has created, and see our Top 3 from last week.

Sketch #4 AHSC

Hey, I hope you all had a great long weekend, I know that it has been an adventure in our house.  The kids haven't let us sleep in at all.  We've had rain and high winds that broke my trellis for one of my transplants, and I am scared to go check to see if my plant got damaged too.  We've had sunshine too, which has been nice for hanging out some laundry, but seriously it could be just a tad bit warmer, I've resorted to wearing my flannels to bed.

Enough about the weather, I'm sure you are here to see the sketch for this week over on Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge.  It is week number 4, and I hope you will all grab this sketch and play along with us.  Some of the girls have been finding my sketches to be quite challenging.  They are all having such fun playing along, and we would love to have you join us.

So here is Sketch #4:

Happily Ever After Blog Hop

Welcome to our May Art
Philosophy/Artiste Blog Hop! As you know, both the Artiste and the
Art Philosophy cartridges are available exclusively through a Close to My Heart
consultant. If you don't already have a Consultant that you are currently
working with, please contact one the Consultants in our hop with any questions you
have!

If you have just hopped onto my
blog, please start at the beginning at Lucy's blog – Love 2 Create . If you came from Jennifer's blog
4 Hearts Scrapbooking then you are in the right place!

Our challenge this month features
not only one of these amazing cartridges but we also have a Wedding theme.
There are so many weddings this time of year! Do you have any weddings coming up?

So for my project I decided I would make my best friend a picture frame that would match her wedding colors. Her Bridal Shower is today and so this is her gift.  I first took some Pearl Paint and added about 12 drops of Outdoor Denim Re-inker which got it to the color you see here. I painted the edges of the wooden frame with it and let dry a couple of hours. While that dried I took a sheet of For Always Paper and used the direct ink technique to the paper, dyeing the white part of the paper with the Outdoor Denim. I then used the paper trimmer to cut the paper to the size of the frame.

I cut from the Artiste Cartridge the Mr. & Mrs. in Black Cardstock, which I also painted with the tinted Pearl Paint.  I added Liquid glass to the top to give it dimension.   I also cut all the 3D flowers from the Artiste, and rolled them using the Quilling Tool. All paper is adhered using Liquid Glass.  I inked the flowers with Outdoor Denim Ink, and the remaining tinted Pearl Paint to pull all the colors together.

Your next stop on our "Happily
Ever After" hop is Traci of Paper Crafting 101.

Here is the complete lineup in
case you get lost along the way:
Lucy ~ Love 2 Create
Theodora ~ Celebrate crafts
Wendy ~ My Scrapbooking Blog
Penny ~ It Makes Total Cents
Michelle ~ My Flights of Fancy
Jennifer ~ 4 Hearts Scrapbooking
Michelle ~ My Creations with Michelle
Traci ~ Paper Crafting 101

Thanks for hopping along with us
- we hope we were able to inspire you in creating your own wedding themed
projects!

So Happy - Sketch #3 Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge

So this week's sketch for our Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge can be found here, at Sketch #3,  you will be able to link your own creation here, and see all the current entries.

I had so much fun making this card, it is completely not one of my typical cards.  So this is what I can up with.  I used Honey, Goldrush, Autumn Terracotta and Chocolate inks. 

 My card base is Colonial White, and the mats are Chocolate Cardstock.  The stamp set I used is a retired set, Trellis.  I really like this stamp set, and I like how the colors work so well together.

To see more of the design teams creations and to learn more about our Sketch Challenge, visit us at Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge.

May Blog Hop - Canvas Art

If you are looking for my card for the Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge go HERE, but not before you check out my Canvas Art.

Welcome to our May Blog Hop featuring our Canvas Display project.  We have 2 sizes available to purchase, the larger one comes in a WOTG Kit and measures 12x12.   The kit is $39.95 (G1062), it comes with directions, an exclusive stamp set and Embellishments to decorate your canvas, you can find this on page 23.  The second size available measures 6x6, it can be found on page 126, and is $4.95(Z1818).

We hope that you will take the time to leave comments on our posts, as we love to get feedback from our viewers....whether it was something that you really liked or some new technique that was used that you would like to learn how to do....by leaving us comments, we get to hear what you like, and what you want to see. Thank you… now on to our hop! 

If you have just hopped onto my blog, then you are at the beginning of our hop and you can now hop across Canada one blog at a time. There are 14 of us on this hop, and you will find the full list at the bottom of this post. If you came from Candra o fPaper Dragon Fleur then you are in the right place!

I decided a while ago that I wanted to make some art pieces for each of my children. I started with my 4 year old son, Nicholaus, who loves SuperHeroes.

For my project I used the 6x6 canvas. I stamped a background Chevron pattern in Outdoor Denim Ink on the canvas. I used the retired Superhero paper as the main focus of the project. Then I stamped his intial in Outdoor Denim and cut it out. I cut a star in Honey and adhered it, and the the Wow! from the Superhero WOTG stamp set in Cranberry and placed it ontop of the Wow!. I took some red embroidery floss and used that for my banner, and cut little mini flags and adhered that to the canvas.

Your next stop on the Cross Canada Hop is Nicola of Timeless Cottage.

Here you will find the full list:

Michelle~My Creations With Michelle You are Here
Nicola~ Timeless Cottage
Arlene~Arlene's Creative Space
Sheri ~ Sheri Says Just Scrap It
Brae~ The Brae-er
Carol~ Welcome to Crafty Carol's Place
Cheryl ~ Scrapbooking with CTMH
Brandy~Canadian Scrappers
Teresa~ Country Crafting Mama
Ashley~ Scrappin' With Ashley
Janet ~ Jan's Works of Heart
Nancy~ Nancy Klein
Karen~ Karen's Clearly Precious Impression
Candra~ Paper Dragonfleur
Thanks for hopping along with us - we hope we were able to inspire you to create your own Canvas projects using some of the designs, paper and techniques seen along the way. Join us again in June when we will be featuring party themed projects.

Happy Mother's Day Arts & Crafts at School

On Friday morning I headed to my daughter's school for the first of 2 arts & crafts classes I would be teaching.  My first class was full of very excited grade 1 students.  They were thrilled that they would get to make their mother's a surprise Mother's Day gift. 

Here you see all the materials that I prepped prior to heading off to the school.  Below you will see the sample that I created to show the class the project we'd be putting together.  

Before I left, the class was already asking if I could come back again, so I think it was a huge hit.  I went home for lunch and returned back in the afternoon to then teach my daughter's split class, Jaymee is in grade 3, but her class is a split class of 2 & 3's.  Boy, were they excited to see me come in.  Most of Jaymee's class had just done crafts with me at Jaymee's birthday party, and yes I know I haven't done the post for that yet, but I'm waiting on the pictures from my brother in-law, he is taking the time to edit them all for me.

These little purses might not seem like much, but each purse was a different color, and they got to color in the flowers any color they wanted, so each child had a creation of their very own.  They all turned out fabulous, and I know, I should of taken photos, but can you believe both times I went, I forgot my camera.  However, I do at least have my daughters creation that I can show you.  I think she did a fabulous job.

Jaymee knows my favorite color is blue, so she colored the flowers blue, and don't they just pop off the pink purse.  I especially love her message that she wrote.....that was another bonus, each kid also got to write their own little message to their mother's.

Happy Mother's Day!

Sketch #2 - Happy Birthday Card

So, we are now into our second week of our Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge.  Darla and I are so excited to have so many entries in our first week.

Our Top 3 picks are announced this morning, and can be found HERE.


So withour further ado, here is my creation using Sketch #2.  

I used a super cute Embossing Folder on the Hollyhock Cardstock which is attached to a white cardbase distressed in Olive and Hollyhock ink.  Then using Cranberry and Olive Ink I sponged using the Sponge Daubers over the flowers and vines.  Then using Cranberry Alcohol Markers I colored the flowers to give them a deeper color.   The band is Black Cardstock as well as the mat under the sentiment.   The Sentiment is from the Joyful Birthday Stamp Set and is stamped in Black ink.  The Frame is stamped in Hollyhock and is from Frame Flair.  Then I used 2 small black Brads to the sentiment.

Atlantic Hearts Sketch #2

Good morning,

It's another sunny day on the Atlantic Coast, a little chilly yet, but it is suppose to warm up.  I'm working on some upcoming sketches for the Sketch Challenge Blog that I've co-created with my good friend Darla Haverstock.

If you haven't checked out our Sketch Challenge yet, why not pop over now and check us out, we've just posted our second sketch, and we would love to have you play along.

Visit Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge and get creative with us.

May Promotion - Dream Pop available until May 31st

It is the first of May, which means it time for a new promotion from Close To My Heart!

Get the exclusive paper packet for only $10 when you spend $35!

In honor of National Scrapbooking Month, you can get the yummy Dream Pop paper packet for only $10 when you spend $35 in May (valued at $19.95 retail)! This exclusive paper packet includes 12 cardstock sheets as well as 12 B&T Duos^® papers that were specifically designed for this promotion only—you can’t get these sweet colors and patterns anywhere else! Start National Scrapbooking Month off right with a unique paper packet at a bargain price and get your creative juices flowing! Also, consider hosting this month: Hostesses receive one paper packet free with qualifying May Gathering sales totals of $400 or more.

Also, the May stamp of the month is REALLY fun and coordinates with the Artiste cartridge. Pinwheels are so popular at the moment and with these cuties you can add that little bit extra to your cards, scrapbook pages, and more! 

This stamp set, regularly priced at $17.95, is available for only $5 with a qualifying $50 order this month only. If papercrafting makes your world go ’round, hurry and get the Pinwheel stamp set during the month of May to make your artwork sparkle and spin!

So you can combine the 2 offers:


Purchase $40 worth of regular priced CTMH products, and add on your Dream Pop paper Packet for $10, you are now at your $50 minimum to purchase the SOTM.  So you now get $77.95 worth of product for $55.  That is a savings of $22.95.

*Shipping/handling and tax apply. Not available for purchase at full retail. Offer valid May 1–31, 2013, while supplies last. Qualifying purchases must be current, retail-priced product.

Dates: Offer valid May 1–31, 2013.

New Sketch Challenge Blog - Embossed Mother's Day Card

Hey, Darla and I have teamed up and created a Sketch Challenge Blog, and the following card is made using  our very first sketch.  To check out our challenge click here!

To see the sketch designed by me, that I used to create this card click here. 

For this card, I heat embossed the flowers in Gold Embossing powder on Ruby Cardstock, and after set I then inked over the embossed images to create a more intense Ruby color.  The bottom portion is a piece of For Always paper that I used the direct ink technique to color the paper.  This is matted on a piece of Black Cardstock, then placed a piece of Black Shimmer Trim overlapping the 2 patterned pieces, and layered the Sentiment popped with 3D Foam Tape, also inked with Ruby.  The Sentiment comes from the Perfect Fit - Mom stamp set and has a matching cut found on the Artiste Cricut Cartridge.