Close to My Heart March Stamp of the Month Blog Hop!

If you have found yourself here from Haley Dyer's Blog, then you are in the right place.  This month we have over 50 Close to My Heart Consultants for the March Stamp of the Month Blog Hop.  

The March Stamp of the Month is entitled Sensational Season (Set of 10) and it is a fantastic stamp set with lots of detail.  This stamp set proves that acrylic stamps can be very detailed.  Here is a picture of it:

This stamp set can be purchased or you can even get it for free only from March 1 - March 31, 2011.  If you do not have a Close to My Heart Consultant, you can purchase this stamp set on my website.

For the March Stamp of the Month Bloghop I am getting ready for Easter with this cute Easter basket that you can fill up with candy, cookies, or even some cool spa gifts for your mother.  

This is a hard item to photograph so I have included some more pictures for you.  

As you can see, I used our new Sophia Paper Pack.

Who's peeking out?

It's Mama Bunny!  All of my images were colored with reinkers and my handy blending pen on Watercolor paper.  It loved the way the watercolor paper soaked up the ink, but left texture with no streaking.

Close up of Mama Bunny.

On each side of the basket I have a hand colored image from the stamp set.

Isn't Baby Bunny adorable?

The carrots are colored with Sunset reinker and then I colored over them with Sunflower reinker just to give them that yellow orange carrot color.

Look at their cute little tails!  And they are so easy to color.

And the last side says it all.  It is for you.  Now who to give this basket to.........?

Products Used

• Stamps:  Sensational Season (D1454)
• Papers:  My Reflections Sophia Level 2 Paper Pack (X7131B), Watercolor paper, and Goldrush Cardstock (1243)
• Inks:   Cocoa (Z2114)and Archival Black (4475-1)
• Reinkers: Bamboo (Z2203), Sky (Z2294), Desert Sand (Z2218), Blush (Z2206), Baby Pink (Z2202), Sunflower (Z2250), Hollyhock (Z2228), Pear (Z2297), Dutch Blue (Z2219), Goldrush (Z2223), and Sunset (Z2291)
• Markers: Lagoon (Z2336), Sky (Z2394), Gypsy (Z2390), Pear (Z2397), Tulip (Z2366), Sunny Yellow (Z2352), Cotton Candy (Z2393), and Blending Pen (3174)
• Embellishments:  White Satin Ribbon
• Other Products:  Adhesive and Sponge Dauber (Z726)

So off you go to the next stop, Judy Burger's Blog  and see what she has created for you!

Join Us For a Color Challenge at H2H!

Happy last day of February! Heart 2 Heart Challenges is featuring a Color Challenge this week.  The challenge colors are Gypsy, Creme Brulee, with a touch of Black.  Any ideas?  We would love to have you play along with us.


Here is my card.

I had an idea of what I wanted to do with this card when I started, but it kind of evolved as I was making it.  The only patterned paper I used was the Gypsy and Black patterned paper from Hooligans.  I have wanted to break out my Aspire Stamp Set since it first arrived at my door so I was just super excited to use it on this card.  Don't you just love my leaping dancer?  The verse on the inside says "If you don't leap, you'll never know what it's like to fly."  Isn't that just the coolest sentiment?  I just love it!

Well, let me tell you about my card.  I embossed my dancer with Versamark and Gypsy ink (with my clear embossing powder) on Creme Brulee Cardstock.  Then I stamped the music background stamp from Universal Backgrounds onto the Creme Brulee, covering the piece of cardstock.  Then I masked the dancer with a circle and with my trusty brayer, brayered Gypsy ink onto the Creme Brulee cardstock.  I wanted the leaping dancer to stand out and I love the way my dancer is spotlighted on my card.  Can't you just hear the applause?

At first I was going to use the pleated black ribbon from the Wings paper pack, but decided that it needed something daintier.  I checked out this tutorial on paper ruffles by Tresa Black and decided to make my own ruffles.  These ruffles remind me of a dancer's skirt, so it was perfect for my card.

Products Used

• Stamps:  Aspire (C1455) and Universal Backgrounds (D1477)
• Paper:  My Relections Hooligans Level 2 Paper Pack (X7129B), Creme Brulee Cardstock (X5754), Gypsy Cardstock (X5757), and Black Cardstock (1386)
• Inks:   Gypsy (Z2109) and Black (Z2105)
• Embellishments: Opaques Licorice (Z1335) and Black Grosgrain Ribbon (Z1100)
• Other Products:  Adhesive, Sponge Dauber (Z726), Versamark Watermark Stamp Pad (Z891), Clear Embossing Powder (Z671), Craft Heater (Z555), and 3 D Foam Dots

Please check out the other design team member's projects:

Lorrinda Holman

Debbie Carriere

Lisa Stenz

Corina Mitchell

Karen Day

Angela Parchey 

Mary Vogel

and then create your own project - anything, and I do mean anything, with our Challenge Colors.  Your projects must include CTMH products, but do not have to be 100% CTMH.  If other products are used, a list or description of what was used would be appreciated. Remember to post it on the Heart 2 Heart Challenges Blog.  You could win some fantastic prizes from our March sponsors, Angela Parchey and Lori Brown.  Remember that you have until the end of the month to participate in our challenges.

Free, Free & Fabulous!

February Promotion
  

Here are just a few things I love about being a Close To My Heart Consultant and you will, too:

• I set my own work hours
• I can earn unlimited income
• I love meeting new people
• I love the friendships I've made with my customers and other Consultants
• I love showing others how to preserve their memories
• I love being paid to create beautiful artwork
• I love owning my own business
• I love working my business around my other priorities, like my family
• I love the financial rewards I've earned, like a new car and a family trip to Disneyland
• I love the product discount I get
• I love getting to order new products and promotions a full month (or more) before my customers can 

You can experience these rewards for yourself as a Consultant, and February is the best time to join Close To My Heart with our 'Free, Free, & Fabulous' promotion.

February is the best time to join Close To My Heart because you can receive up to $491 in products and business supplies for FREE!  

You purchase your kit, which has a retail value of up to $391, for just $129, then work to achieve our Straight To The Top program-and I'll help you along the way.  

When you achieve the first month and the first three months of Straight To The Top, you'll receive a rebate of $129 for your kit plus you'll receive $100 in select product credit! The total retail value of your free products and business supplies is up to $491! Your kit's free, your select product is free-it makes February a 'Free, Free and Fabulous' month!

   

Hurry because you don't have much time left to participate in our Free, Free & Fabulous Promotion.  The last day to sign up  is February 28th!  For more information please e-mail me at mkgmt@aol.com or call me at (901) 850-1836.  I will be home all day and evening today and tomorrow.  Remember to leave me a message so I can get back to you if I don't answer.

 

Brrrrr........... It's a Cold Challenge at Heart 2 Heart!

Welcome!  I am glad that you are visiting my blog.  At Heart 2 Heart Challenges, we have a new challenge.  It is anything cold.  I can be snow, ice cream, colors that remind you of cold, etc.


I started off with one card and my husband said that it did not remind him of cold so I made another one.  Here it is.

It has been pretty cold here in Memphis.  We have had 5 snows, which is practically unheard of here.  Driving on the interstate I have seen some wonderful sunsets and have tried to reproduce those here.  The colors have been absolutely gorgeous.


Before you think I am a fantastic artist, let me assure you that I am just an enjoyer of playing around with my supplies.  I used the Salted Background Technique with a few of my own changes.  My daughter-in-law and I each did 5 or 6 of these backgrounds and they each came out differently even though we tried to make them the same.


I used reinkers for this technique.  I put a few drops of the reinkers I wanted to use in the lid of their corresponding ink pad.  Then, I sprayed the watercolor paper until it was good and wet.  I took my waterbrush and liberally applied reinker with a very wet waterbrush and then I sprinkled sea salt all over the areas I wanted it.  After that I sprayed more water on top.  The salt pulls the color out in the spots it lands giving you a really pretty effect.


I dried the paper with my craft heater and brushed all of the salt off the paper.  Then I added more ink where I thought I wanted more and if needed added more salt and sprayed with water until I was happy with the results.  I swear it was like magic.  Just love it!  I waited until the paper was entirely dry before I stamped my images.

Products Used

• Stamps:  Four Seasons (B1319), Harmony (B1363), and The Present (D1436)
• Paper:  Watercolor Paper, Black Cardstock (1386), Petal Cardstock (X5667), and Sky Cardstock (X5761) 
• Inks:   Black (Z2105) 
• Reinkers:  Amethyst (Z2200), Sky (Z2294), Baby Pink (Z2202), Cocoa (Z2214), Desert Sand (Z2218), and Lilac Mist (Z2233)
• Embellishments:  Pewter Brads (Z1366)
• Other Products:  Adhesive, Sponge Dauber (Z726), Craft Heater (Z555), Waterbrush (1771) and Sea Salt (yes, salt!)

Please check out the other design team member's projects:

Lorrinda Holman

Debbie Carriere

Lisa Stenz

Corina Mitchell

Karen Day

Shirley Ross (one of this month's sponsors))

Mary Vogel

and then create your own project - anything that makes you think of cold.  Your projects must include CTMH products, but do not have to be 100% CTMH.  If other products are used, a list or description of what was used would be appreciated. Remember to post it on the Heart 2 Heart Challenges Blog.  You could win some fantastic prizes from our February sponsors, Shirley Ross and Sandra Strickler.  As a special treat, Shirley will be playing along with us this week!  Remember that you have until the end of the month to participate in our challenges.

Do You Like Accordion Flowers?

Have you seen those gorgeous Accordion Flowers but don't know how to make them?  Well let me show you an awesome Video Tutorial made by fellow CTMH Consultant and Heart 2 Heart Challenge Design Team member, Lisa Stenz.  I was able to watch this video one time and make some pretty awesome flowers.  Now to make a card with them....


You can find Lisa Stenz's awesome artwork on her blog, www.lisascreativecorner.blogspot.com.  Plus she gave me permission to post her video on my blog.  Thanks, Lisa!  Enjoy!

Have You Checked Out Our New Spray Pen?

Close to My Heart debuted a new product in our Spring/Summer Idea Book called a spray pen.  I am loving experimenting with this "pen".  It is really more of a mini mister.  I have filled it with rubbing alcohol and our reinker and spraying flowers and paper with it.  I can spray a little or a lot and get different kinds of looks.  Best of all, it dries fast and the colors match our cardstock and inks.  Too cool!!

But I really want to share with you the video that Corporate put out on how to use the spray pen.  By the way, you can order the pen here for only $3.95 for 3 of them.

Leave a comment for me and tell me what creative uses you have found for the spray pen.

Show Us Your Heart at H2H Challenges!

Happy Valentine's Day!  Today at Heart 2 Heart Challenges it is anything with a heart.  

I decided to feature hearts on a 9" x 9" Accordion Album that I am teaching at my February Workshop.  Here is one side of my Accordion Album.

And here is the other side of the album.

I used the Close to My Heart Magnifique Paper Pack for my album and tons of our new stamp sets.  That is one benefit to being a CTMH Consultant - I get a discount and can afford lots of new products and I can buy it even before it goes live for the customers.  Now how cool is that?  I am the Executive Manager of the Bling Team.  Please let me know if you would like more information about becoming a CTMH Independent Consultant.


Now, back to my project.  I don't want you to miss the hearts, so let me show you some close-ups of the pages.

Do you see how the flower at the top is made up of hearts?  And check out the heart on my little calendar.  That is the date that I married my sweet husband!

This is one pretty easy.  See the cute little heart on my sentiment?

Look at the bling on my peacock as it is peeking around the side of my mat!  The heart in this layout is the word, "heart", in the sentiment.

No heart in this one, but there is a whole lot of love and bling!  Don't you love the bling in my flower buttons?  I just love what CTMH had done with buttons.  When I received my new products in, I showed my customers the buttons and you would have thought that we were at Tiffany's with all the oo-ing and ah-ing.

On this layout I CASE'd myself.  I had made a card that I loved and decided that it would make a great layout.

How do you like this pennant?  It was easy to make with our Pennant Alphabet Stamp Set.  The directions for the pennant are in our Spring/Summer Idea Book.

I just had to use the pretty journaling box from Key to My Heart even though it is a retired set.  That is one thing about our stamp sets.  They remain current and useful even after they are retired.  The heart on the right was stamped using the puddle pad technique and then embossed.  The heart on the left was stamped and embossed.  The cute parenthesis is from our Irresistibles Villa.  The pattern on the parenthesis emerges when you sponge ink on it.

Here is that cute flower again from Heartfelt Flowers.  I added the leaves from that set to the flower as well.  I love the sentiment on this page.

Products Used

• Stamps:  Pennant Alphabet (E1018), Love Ya! (D1460), Circle of Love (D1438), Unity (C1422), Heartfelt Treasures (C1456), Happy Journey (D1428), Moments in Time (D1339), Grown with Love (D1372), Affection (C1441), Treasure Life (D1306), Beautiful Day (D1450), Around the Block (D1377), Placement Guide (Retired) (C1303), and Key to My Heart (Retired)
• Paper:  My Relections Magnifique Level 2 Paper Pack (X7127B) 
• Inks:   Chocolate (Z2111), Lagoon (Z2195), Sky (Z2194), Tulip (Z2166), and Pacifica (Z2192)
• Embellishments:  Dimensional Elements Hearts (Z1278), Irresistibles Villa Die-Cuts (Z1390), Sparkles Blue and Green (Z1327),  Buttons Blue Assortment (Z1371), Buttons Basic Assortment (Z1358), Brad Assortment Metal Assortment (Z1366), Designer Brads Pewter (Z1146), Cocoa Ribbon (Z1100), and Chocolate Waxy Flax (Z1088)
• Other Products:  Adhesive, Sponge Dauber (Z726), Versamark Watermark Stamp Pad (Z891), Clear Embossing Powder (Z671), Craft Heater (Z555), and 3 D Foam Dots

Please check out the other design team member's projects:

Lorrinda Holman

Debbie Carriere

Lisa Stenz

Corina Mitchell

Karen Day

Aaron Booth  (This week's Guest Designer)

Mary Vogel

and then create your own project - anything with hearts.  Your projects must include CTMH products, but do not have to be 100% CTMH.  If other products are used, a list or description of what was used would be appreciated. Remember to post it on the Heart 2 Heart Challenges Blog.  You could win some fantastic prizes from our February sponsors, Shirley Ross and Sandra Strickler.   Aaron Brown is our Guest Designer for this week's challenge.  Remember that you have until the end of the month to participate in our challenges.

Heart 2 Heart From Our Heart to Yours Focuses on Kissing!

From Our Heart to Yours.  Heart 2 Heart is focusing on Kissing!  Just in time for Valentine's Day.  So get your stamps ready and join us in Kissing.  Stamp Kissing that is.


There are a variety of ways to kiss stamps.  First of all, you need a solid image stamp.  This is a stamp that when you stamp it, you have more than just the outline.  The entire image is colored in.  Second you need a background stamp or a stamp with an outline or small image.  


This is where the different types of Kissing vary.  You can ink the solid image stamp, "kiss" the uninked second stamp and stamp the image.  Another way, which was the way I used, is to ink both stamps, "kiss" the two stamps and stamp the solid image.  What you get is the solid image stamped in the color that you inked it with but you see the pattern of the second stamp in the color that you had it inked with.  Now how cool is that?


I wanted to have a more vibrant stamped image so before I inked up my images I stamped both stamps in Versamark and then the ink and then embossed the images.  I absolutely loved how the "kissed" flowers came out with the embossing.


Here is my card.  

I used the big flower from Heartfelt Treasures ((C1456) and inked it up in Sunset Ink.  Then I took the cute circle patterned background stamp from Backgrounds & Borders (D1463) and inked it up with Desert Sand Ink. When I stamped my image I was so surprised to see that it almost took on an animal print look to it.  I wanted it vibrant and glossy so I embossed it with clear embossing powder and then while the image was still hot, added more embossing powder and heated the image again, giving it a thicker layer of embossing and lots of gloss and color.


I must admit that I have a hard time working with orange and that I had challenged myself to make a feminine card that wasn't girly.  So I used the very ungirly paper pack, Lucky.  Everything was stamped on the patterned paper including the leaves.  I think it came out super cute.  By the way, the matting around the flowers is purposely offset.  I think that it brings your eye to the flowers.  Too cool!  And check it out ........... there are no other embellishments on this card.  Just stamped images.


Here is a close-up of the "Kissed" flowers.

Products Used

• Stamps:  Heartfelt Treasures (D1456) and Backgrounds & Borders (D1463)
• Paper:  My Relections Lucky Level 2 Paper Pack (X7137B)
• Inks:   Sunset (Z2191), Outdoor Denim (Z2140), Desert Sand (Z2118), Olive (Z2137),  and Black (Z2105)
• Embellishments:  None
• Other Products:  Adhesive, Sponge Dauber (Z726), Versamark Watermark Stamp Pad (Z891), Clear Embossing Powder (Z671), Craft Heater (Z555), and 3 D Foam Dots

Now look at what other design team members have created,

Lorrinda Holman

Debbie Carriere

Lisa Stenz

Corina Mitchell

Karen Day

Aaron Booth  (This week's Guest Designer)

Mary Vogel

and then create your own project using the "Kissing" Technique.  Your projects must include CTMH products, but do not have to be 100% CTMH.  If other products are used, a list or description of what was used would be appreciated. Remember to post it on the Heart 2 Heart Challenges Blog.  You could win some fantastic prizes from our February sponsors, Shirley Ross and Sandra Strickler.   Aaron Booth is our Guest Designer for this week's challenge.  Remember that you have until the end of the month to participate in our challenges.