Creative Challenges

Did you know that Close To My Heart issues weekly challenges?  I've played along for a few, and over the weekend I decided I would play along with the latest challenge.

The challenge was to use the Heartstrings Paper.  I really love this paper, it has a very strong Valentine's/Love theme, making it good for Weddings, Showers, Anniversaries and of course Valentine's.

I wanted to try to create something that didn't fit in those categories. Here is my creation.

I used Hollyhock Cardstock for my base, and then layered a piece of the Heartstrings paper, adding a layer of Arrow Washi tape across the top.  The sentiment is from the Operation Smile stamp set, You're the Bomb (C1617) which retires at the end of March.  I stamped it in Cranberry, Lagoon, 2nd generation Hollyhock and Black Ink.  The sentiment is layered on a piece of Lagoon cardstock, and I added 2 flags of Teal Shimmer trim, and some sequins which appears in the next addition of  Seasonal Expressions available April 1st.

You can find CTMH's challenges here.

March Cross Canada Blog Hop - Easter Fun

Welcome to our March Blog Hop featuring Easter Fun creations.  To purchase any of the items seen in our blog hop today, contact your local consultant to place an order.

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, you can start here as this is a circular hop, and I happen to be the first stop as you cross Canada. If you came from the amazing work from Candra then you are in the right place!

I made a set of 4 cards using the Hopscotch Paper packet and corresponding cardstock.  The stamp used is from the set Hopping By (D1633) and I colored it using the Shinhan Touch Twin Markers.

Your next stop on the Cross Canada Hop is Nicky and she has been busy creating.

 If you get lost along the way you can pop on back here as I've got the full blog hop list posted.

1. Michelle ~My Creations With Michelle  YOU ARE HERE
2. Nicky ~Timeless Cottage 
3. Dominique ~Fun2Cre8
4. Krista ~ Simply Creating
5. Sheri  ~ Sheri's Crafty Classroom
6. Lucy ~ Lucy's Creative Expressions
7. Brae ~ The Brae's
8. Carol ~ Crafty Carol
9. Christine ~Chris' Creative Life
10. Jessica ~ Create by the Lake
11. Terry Ann~Just a Tad Crafty
12. Janet ~ Jan's Works of Heart
13. Kathy ~ It's a Girl Thing
14. Heather ~Inky Hugs
15. Candra ~ Paper DragonFleurFlower

Thanks for hopping along with us - we hope we were able to inspire you to get creative using some of the designs, products and techniques seen along the way. We hope you will join us again next month when our theme is April Showers bring May Flowers.  So mark April 15th on your calendars and hop along with us.

AHSC #98 Dream Big

Recently at my very first Creative Camp I taught a few classes, and the first class I taught combined 2 techniques.  Applying ink using Painters Tape and Heat Embossing.  I decided to use the pieces from this class to make my card for this week's challenge.

Here is the sketch:

Here is my creation:

I used Seaside pattern paper, and Crystal Blue Cardstock, the ink colors are Slate, Glacier and Crystal Blue.  I heat embossed the butterfly in Silver Embossing Powder and stamped the sentiment in Black Ink.  The butterfly and sentiment are from the Stamp set Your Own Kind of Wonderful (D1627).

Now head on over to Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge and see what our design team has created this week.

Brae-er Team Blog Hop - Get it before it's Gone

This month for our Team Brae-er's blog hop we are featuring items that we love from the first Seasonal Expressions catalog that are the must haves before they are gone.

If you came from the amazing creation from Tamara then you are in the right place.

Here is my creation:

I decided to try my hand at copying a layout from the catalog but making it my own.  You can find this layout on page 12 of the Seasonal Expressions catalog.  I used the Heartstrings Paper and the compliments that coordinate.  At the top and bottom you will notice what looks like paper arrows making a border....it is actually the zipstrip trimmed down and weaved in and out of the chevron border created from the chevron border punch.



You next stop on this blog hop is Heather, so head that way to see her fabulous creations. If you get lost you can head back to Brae's blog to find the next link.

Lift me up with AHSC #97

Wow, we are almost at 100 sketches.....that is awesome.  It's been so much fun sharing my sketches and artwork with you all, and having so many use my sketches to be inspired to create artwork of their own.

Here is this week's sketch:

There were some design team members who created similar to what I had in mind, so I really took my sketch to another level and created this simply cute card.

I hope you are inspired by my artwork and the design team over at Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge. Head over there now and see what our design team has been up to.