Classic Closure

Classic Closure from Wishes

So, this card also uses left over Triple Play pieces.  Classic Closure (tm) measures 3.5" x 8" and can be found in Wishes.  The bottom of the card has been cut away which is why we need some closure.  The bottom is Sweet Leaf which has been scalloped (not shown) with the help of the corner rounder.  I would say that's the only tricky part to this card.

For the closure, I did use brads and put the buttons on top of the brads.  How did I do that?  I slightly sanded the tops of the brads and then used Bonding Memory Glue (love the stuff).  You have to make sure to put this aside to let the glue dry.  Then, when the card was assembled, pierce holes through just the top flap and the bottom.  I tied a knot in the waxy flax and slipped it on the top brad.  When you put the brads in, don't push them all the way down.  You need room for the waxy flax to fit underneath to close the card.

The buttons in the upper left portion of the card is a combination of clear buttons, winter buttons, and the die cut buttons.  The farthest left button is a clear button with a die cut button on top.  Just below the buttons is the saying "sweet moments" from the Triple Play Kit.  You can stamp any saying you'd like.

The focal point has a corner stamp stamped as a second generation in the bottom left of the colonial white cardstock (wow, that was hard to write!).  The colonial white is on top of Sunset cardstock.  The strip is Smoothie cardstock.

All Materials CTMH:
X7128B  Olivia Paper Packet
X5758     Sunset Cardstock
X5639     Sweet Leaf Cardstock
Z2153     Sweet Leaf Ink
Z2155     Topiary Ink (button string)
Z2196     Smoothie Ink (saying and flower)
Z2162     Honey Ink (center of flower)
Z2191     Sunset Ink (second generation -- and in kit)
Z1219     Essential Brads
Z1081     Colonial White Waxy Flax
Z1155     Clear Craft Buttons (being discontinued 12/10)
Z1284     Winter Craft Buttons (being discontinued 12/10)
Z578       Corner Rounder
Z553       Bonding Memories Glue
Z1091     Finishing Files

Curtain Call



Curtain Call from Wishes



With the Triple Play promotion done with, I've put together my three albums but have some left over die cut shapes.  Since I didn't want them to go to waste, I created some cards using them.  This Curtain Call(tm) from Wishes card is the first of my examples.  The card is 4.5" x 4.5" finished.  I did have to cut out the bracket symbol, but that's it.  The Hollyhock flowers are rolled (second generation the rolled in the same color on the outside, then stamped)

Even though the stamping kit, Triple Play, is no longer available, doesn't mean you can't use other stamps for a similiar look.



Materials all CTMH:
X7122B  You Rock Paper packet
1245       Olive Cardstock
               Triple Play Set
               Hollyhock Ink (comes with kit)
               Indian Corn Blue Ink (comes with kit)

Z2123     Goldrush Ink
Z210       Autumn Terracotta Ink (button strings)
Z2137     Olive Ink

School Time

The Heart to Heart Challenge completed here is all about school tools.  I made these bag toppers for the teachers.  They had completed their first "week" (we started on Wednesday), when I gave these to them.  The chocolates are Nuggets that I wrapped with address labels.  Each label says something different.  And then I stamped something on each of the labels.  Why?  Because I can!

All Stacked Up from Wishes altered size is 6.5" x 3"

I used Wishes once again for my inspiration.  This time I used the All Stacked Up pattern.  The pattern is for a 6" x 3" card, but my bag was a little over that.  What to do?  Increase the length!  Everything else is the same.

I wanted to use colors that are a little less typical of school.  I guess I wanted a really big challenge.  The colors I chose were Cocoa, Barn Red, Creme Brulee, and Twilight.  I have to say, I almost gave up on the colors, but I think I succeeded afterall.  Just don't look at the colors of the stamped label (I wanted to use Cotton Candy for the crown because my girls' teachers are female).

For the card, all products are CTMH:
X7126B Passages Paper Packet (B&T paper)
X5754 Creme Brulee Cardstock
X5666 Twilight Cardstock
Z2167 Creme Brulee Ink
Z2104 Barn Red Ink
Z2114 Cocoa Ink
Z2367 Creme Brulee Marker
Z2318 Desert Sand Marker
Z2337 Olive Marker
C1418 In the Month of August
D1187 For Every Occation
D1346 You Rock (used on the You Rock label only)
Z1151 3D Foam

Sympathy Card

Unfortunately I know of several people who has a loved one slipping away from us.  I was inspired by the Heart to Heart Challenge of using "City Scape" from Wishes to come up with an uplifting sympathy card.  This is what I came up with...

City Scape from Wishes 3" x 4.75"

The two cards are very similar.  The accents are how they differ.  Usually when I'm working on a card, I think of another way to do the same card.  I like them both!

Both used Twilight Textured Cardstock as the base of the top (I used colonial white cardstock as the base of the card -- the textured is much too valueable to use as the entire card).   In the bottom card, I rubbed the open ink pad across the textured cardstock to highlight the texture.  In the top card, I mounted the saying with 3D foam tape.  Placement of the clear sparkles is the only other thing that's different between the cards.  :)

Products Used (all CTMH):

X7070B Simple Pleasures Paper Packet

X5670 Winter Cozy Textured Cardstock Combo --Twilight

Z2160 Twilight Ink

Z2164 Sorbet Ink

Z2114 Cocoa Ink

Z1104 Clear Sparkles

Z1151 3-D Foam Tape

B1296 Joy Forever

Noteworthy Soccer Thank You Card

This card might look a little funky because of the soccer ball in the middle, but I did that on purpose!  :)

Wishes Noteworthy 4.75"x 3"

I have some rather generous gals from the team give me a retirement gift of gift cards.  I'd been managing the team for several years, but certainly wasn't expecting any gifts.  Anyway, I really like this flower stamp and wanted to be a little funky too.  I chuckled as I punched out the soccer ball center.  I hope the girls smiled when they opened there envelopes.

The colors you see are three of eight that are retiring at the end of the year.  The colors here are Hydrangea, Orange, and Clover Meadow.  The other colors retiring are Star Spangled Blue, Watermelon, Bubblegum, Ocean, and Citrus Leaf.  Since those colors are retiring, eight new colors are being introduced in September's Idea Book.  Those colors are beautiful and rich and include: Gypsy (a purple), pacifica (deep blue), Sunset (a cross of orange and autumn terracotta), Cotton Candy (pink), Lagoon (tealy blue), Pear (darker citrus leaf), Sky (light blue), and Smoothie (pinky red).  You'll see these colors throughout the new Idea Book which is available September 1, 2010.  Come check out my website at dsk.myctmh.com and shop online to view the book and products.  You won't be disappointed.

Products used (all CTMH):

X5634 Hydrangea Cardstock (retiring)

1281 Orange Cardstock (retiring)

1229 Clover Meadow Cardstock (retired)

1385 White Daisy Cardstock

Z2129 Hydrangea Ink (retired)

Z2138 Orange Ink

Z2100 Amethyst Ink

Z2105 Black Ink

Z2113 Clover Meadow Ink

Z1311 1.25" Circle Punch

D1278 Best Shot (retired)

D1361 Thank You

D1424 Something Splendid (8/2010 SOTM)

Heart to Heart Color Challenge

Making Vineyard Berry, Blush, and Creme Brulee come together in harmony was a little challenging.  This challenge was from the week of July 26th, and again was completed but not posted.  Thankfully I do these challenges for myself (and hopefully I inpire others in the process).

My orginal idea was to use the Merry Go Round pattern from Wishes.  When I put it together, though, it turned out to be the Inner Court pattern instead.  The two aren't very different and so I made a second card using the same papers for both.  As you can see, I accessorized them slightly differently.

So how are these two cards different?  For the top one I used Glitz Glitter in the center of the flower.  And, although you can't tell from the picture, I taped some tissue paper to the bottom center of the flower so that it's raised.  I stamped twigs onto the Creme Brulee cardstock and the Daydream B&T paper with Vineyard Berry. I used the direct to paper on the the Creme Brulee cardstock -- along the edges as well as the cardstock itself -- and the white strip.

Wishes Inner Court 4.5" round card

Wishes Merry Go Round 4.5" round card

In this bottom card I used Clear Sparkles to jazz up the flower from Something Splendid (August's stamp of the month).  The patterns called for reversing the paper sizes.  The smaller flower from the stamp set was randomly stamped on the Creme Brulee cardstock in second generation and the leaves were stamped in first generation.  Here I sponged the papers with Blush ink.

Only CTMH Products:

X7108B Daydream Paper Packet (retired)

X5754 Creme Brulee Cardstock

1386 Black Cardstock

Z2106 Blush Ink

Z2157 Vineyard Berry Ink

Z2105 Black Ink

Z2167 Creme Brulee Ink

D1424 Something Splendid (8/2010 SOTM)

Z1104 Clear Sparkles (for Merry Go Round)

Z1313 Stardust Glitz Glitter (for Inner Court)

Heart to Heart Sketch Challenge

This was the challenge from the week of August 9th.  I had it completed but didn't get it posted until now.

Here is the sketch and how I interpreted it.

I enjoyed using the stamp set Boys at Play because I don't have boys, I don't use this set much.  Mind you, my girls do a lot of boyish things, but I can't use "boys at play" with them.  One of my layouts will use that stamp and I'll cross out the "boys" and write "girls."

Anyway, this card is 5" x 5" and is fun!  The "Full Speed Ahead" is stamped on Sweet Leaf cardstock with Topiary Ink.  The "Boys at Play" is stamped in Buttercup Ink on Colonial White cardstock and then direct to paper distressed with Sunflower ink.  I did another card where I rolled the stamp in Sunflower after inking with Buttercup.  Both B&T papers used were direct to paper distressed with Crystal Blue ink.  Finally, the "Boys at Play" sign is mounted, and the "full speed ahead" is double mounted (just put another piece of foam tape on top of the first piece after removing the protective barrier).

Only CTMH Products Used:
X7121B Caboodle Paper Packet
Z2150 Sunflower Ink
Z2110 Buttercup Ink
Z2117 Crystal Blue Ink
Z2164 Sorbet Ink
Z2155 Topiary Ink
Z1218 Basic Brad Assortment -- black bitty brads
Z1114 Piercing Tool Kit
Z1151 3-D Foam Tape
C1386 Boys at Play
4275 My Legacy Writer Set

Window Wishes

Wishes Window Wishes 4.5" x 4.5"

These cards are some really old Color Me Monday color combinations.  I don't remember why I did both of these, but I guess you win in the end.  No, I guess I win because I have the cards.  :)

The top card colors are Black, Juniper, Tulip, and White Daisy.  The flower is stamped on the black cardstock with VersaMark ink.  You can see that it leaves a watermark look on the dark colored cardstock.  The Juniper frame was edged distressed with the edge distressor tool.  The flower's (Joy Forever) outline was stamped in black and cut out.  The interior of the flower was stamped with Tulip.  The leaves (for both cards) were stamped in Juniper on Juniper cardstock.

The bottom card is sporting the colors Ponderosa Pine, Juniper, Tulip, and Colonial White.  With this card, I scored the back side of the card front either 0.25" or 0.5" apart.  I then slightly sanded the raised ridges for the striped look on the Ponderosa Pine cardstock.  The buttons came from the Tulip Mini-Medley (as was the ribbon on the top card).  For this flower, I stamped outline in Cocoa so it would blend in more with the flower.  I added liquid glass to the center of the flower, just to try something different.  The cocoa ink bled a little, making the center have a yellow hue, but it's okay.  If I didn't want the ink to bleed, then either archival black ink or the StazOn ink would have been a better choice.  The small flowers you see peeking out of the window were stamped second generation Tulip.

All CTMH Products Used:

Top card only

1386 Black CS

1385 White Daisy CS

Z1297 Edge Distressor

Bottom card only

1276 Ponderosa Pine CS

1388 Colonial White CS

Z1204 Bone folder

Z1294 Sanding Kit

Z1096 Embroidery Floss - Neutral Assortment

Z679 Liquid Glass

Both Cards

X5752 Juniper CS

B1296 Joy Forever (discontinued 12/10)

Z1320 Mini-Medley - Tulip

Z341 Glue Dots

Sundial Birthday

This had been a Heart to Heart challenge that I completed.  I hadn't taken the blog plunge yet so I hadn't posted it, until now.  The challenge was to incorporate stars within the papercrafted item.  On my continuing quest of making each and every card in Wishes, I came up with this card.

Wishes Sundial 4.25" x 5.5"

Besides using paper I haven't used in a really long time (Blue Ribbon), I used our new Glitz Glitter Glue Stardust.  I love the way it sparkles!  The candles and sparkles are cut out and mounted with 3D foam tape.  I added the glitter glue after the card was assembled (I had tried applying it before cutting the sparkles out, and even though it had dried, I found I needed to reapply after attaching them to the card).

Even though I used retired paper (it wasn't when I made this card), you can substitute your favorite for the star paper shown here.  And yes, I used cocoa ribbon when I should have used chocolate...but, do you know what?  The cocoa and chocolate are close enough in color that you can substitute them.

All Products are CTMH:

X7096B Blue Ribbon Paper Packet (retired)

Z2140 Outdoor Denim Ink

Z2130 Indian Corn Blue Ink

Z2162 Honey Ink

Z2116 Cranberry Ink

Z2123 Goldrush Ink

C1394 Candlelight

Z1313 Glitz Glitter Glue - Stardust

Z1151 3D Foam Tape

Z1316 Designer Ribbon Rounds - Cocoa (grosgrain) 

Roundabout Thank You

Wishes Roundabout 8" x 3.5"

The colors of this card are those of the last sample posted -- the "I miss you" card with July's stamp of the month hedgehog.  I did this card a few days earlier using the August stamp of the month Splendid.  I included Lilac Mist in the color scheme.

The distressed look on the Lilac cardstock was acheived by opening the Lilac Mist stamp pad up, and gently rubbing it in a circular motion on top of the cardstock.  The flower is a base/shade stamp.  The base was stamped in Lilac Mist second generation.  The shade stamp was first generation.  I did this to keep the card to four colors only.  The leaves were stamped and then rolled in Olive ink.  And, finally, the cut out flower is mounted.

A trick to ribbon laying flat is adhere a flat piece down to the area.  Take a second piece, 3" in length (minimumly) and tie a knot with it.  Adhere that onto the ribbon that is already down.  Another thing you can do is take the 3" piece and tie it around the long ribbon piece.  Then adhere that down.  This technique will result in the ribbon being pinched at the knot.

CTMH Products Used:
1295 Lilac Mist CS
1245 Olive CS
Z5644 Brown Bag CS
X7122B You Rock B&T
Z2133 Lilac Mist Ink
Z2137 Olive Ink
Z2140 Outdoor Denim Ink
Z2108 Brown Bag Ink
Z1129 Ribbon Collection -- Outdoor Denim
Z1151 3D Foam Tape
D1424 Something Splendid (Aug. SOTM)
D1187 For Every Occasion

Summer Cards

I've been receiving Holiday greetings and update letters for years.  I really enjoy reading them and catching up a little with those friends who keep me on their list.  Well, when we decided to have kids I thought it would be great to join the ranks and follow suit with the updates.  However, Holiday time is too chaotic a time for me.  The solution?  Send out summer updates.  I won't have to rush, the recipients would receive unexpected mail, and I could do it!  Eight years later, I'm finally embarking on my goal.  I've made the cards, now I just have to write my letter.

Unfortunately for many lovers of CTMH colors Bubblegum, Watermelon, Hydrangea, Citrus Leaf, Clover Meadow, Orange, and Star Spangled Blue, they are being retired by the end of 2010.  Of course I have those colors -- and I think they are wonderful summer colors -- but don't want to have much paper by the end of the year.  I hate waste.  And I don't like to use items in samples that you can't purchase.  So they are the perfect colors for my summer cards.

These two cards are almost identical.  The one on the left has an additional element from the White Daisy Mini-Medley packet.  I'm not sending any of those out because of the location of the buckle (I want to make sure they aren't returned in the mail, nor do I want to pay more postage to be hand sorted).  I also thought the "Hello" would be a nice touch for the shout out.  I made a total of 10 of these cards.

Oh, but I don't know how many cards to make.  Shoot.  I don't even have a mailing list going.  I know, I'll make another 10 cards and call it a day.  I don't think I have 19 friends who really want to know that much about my life who doesn't already.  I should be very safe.  But I can't make the same card since I already cut all of these colors out.  So this is what came out next.

This card has been rotated 90 degrees clockwise from the above cards.  The cards come from Wishes and is titled Gallery.  My next challenge for this project is to write the letter and send it out.  I guess that means I better stop writing here...

Products are all CTMH:

Clover Meadow Base Cards

1385 White Cardstock

1229 Clover Meadow CS

1231 Bubblegum CS

1226 Watermelon CS

(X5631 Amthyst CS for the card on the left)

1228 Citrus Leaf CS

Z2123 Clover Meadow Ink

Z2109 Bubblegum Ink

Z2158 Watermelon Ink

Z2100 Amethyst Ink

Z2129 Hydrangea Ink

Z2112 Citrus Leaf Ink

Z1136 White Daisy Mini-Medley

Z1114 Piercing Tool
D1187 For Every Occasion (card on right)

D1354 Endless Friendship

Amethyst Base Card

1385 White Cardstock

X5631 Amthyst CS

X5634 Hydrangea CS

1229 Clover Meadow CS

Z2123 Clover Meadow Ink
Z2109 Bubblegum Ink
Z2158 Watermelon Ink

Z2100 Amethyst Ink

Z2129 Hydrangea Ink

Z1219 Essential Brads (White Daisy)

Z1114 Piercing Tool

D1354 Endless Friendship

A Cut Above

This week's Color Me Monday Challenge was with the colors Outdoor Denim, Lilac Mist, Olive, and Brown Bag.  My card uses three of those four colors, measures 3"x3", and features the July Stamp of the Month.

The technique I used to color the hedgehog in was Reverse Masking.   Stamp the image on another sheet of paper, leaving large margins.  Since I had two areas to color, the image was stamped twice, again, leaving large margins.  Then a cutting knife (and mat) was used to carefully cut away the areas I wanted to color -- in this case, the body from one image and the spines from another.  Make sure you don't throw these away!  I put them in the back of my stamp holder envelope so I always have them handy.

Next thing to do is line up the one template and sponge the color you want into the opening.  The spines are in Chocolate while the body is Brown Bag.  It's that easy!

Products used are all CTMH:

X7110B Back Country Paper Packet

Z2168 Colonial White Pigment Ink

Z2108 Brown Bag Ink

Z2111 Chocolate Ink

Z280 Natural Hemp

Z1151 3D Foam Tape

D1423 Happy Forever

D1283 Say it in Style

Z1252 Cutting Knife

Z1279 VersaMat

H2H Recipe Challenge

This challenge, was just that, challenging. I had seen the design teams posts and didn't want to replicate them. Luckily I thought of something and quickly went to work.

I've used the Perfect Day Paper Packet to create the dressing for a cookie in a jar.  Liquid glass (one of my favorite adhesives) was put to use adhering the cranberry velvet  ribbon to the B&T paper.  A Colonial White button was glued onto a Just Blooms flower and a Filigree Charm was slipped through a button hole.  My recipe was mounted onto Cocoa cardstock and tied onto the lid of the jar.  How sweet!

Items used are all CTMH:

Perfect Day Paper Packet (X7100B)

Cranberry Designer Ribbon Round (Z1209)

Holiday Craft Buttons (Z1285)

Filgree Charms (Z1269)

Liquid Glass (Z679)

H2H ABC (Anything But a Card) Challange

So I was perusing CTMH bulletin board, feeling blue that I wasn't at convention when I came upon a post for making a purse.  Christine Marshall, on her blog, posted a three day tutorial to make a purse/briefcase.  I thought this was a perfect opportunity for this week's H2H challenges.

On the tutorial, Christine added outside pockets to both sides of the purse.  I wanted mine to look more like a suitcase so I didn't add any pockets.  I used Ocean cardstock and Splendor B&T paper (X7124B).  The stamped images are mostly from Boys at Play (C1386) and the bus is from In the Month of August (C1418 -- 43 more days). 

Since I wanted it to look like a suitcase, I added some brads to the bottom of the case too.  The entire thing was sponge edge distressed with Desert Sand for that used look.  There are two pockets on the inside of the suitcase.  I'm thinking of making some of these for teachers and dub them survival kits.  Then I'll put some chocolate, a pen, a notepad, and some tissue (since summer is over) inside.

Midpoint Cards

Midpoint is a 5"x7" card from Wishes.  I incorporated Color Me Monday from 6/30/10 with this example. The colors are Outdoor Denim, Desert Sand, Crystal Blue, and Tulip.  I used the ribbon from the Colonial White Collection (Z1126), the Tulip photo clip (which is threaded through the ribbon) is from the Tulip Mini Medley(Z1320).  I added the Clear Inspiration Acrylic Accent (which this one isn't available ACK! but others are (Z1053)) with hemp because the ribbon is too thick to go through the little hole.  I sponge distressed all of the paper with Desert Sand Ink, stamped the plant in Desert Sand and stamped the words in Outdoor Denim.  The words were raised using the 3D Foam Tape(Z1151).

I don't use 5"x7" cards too often so I wanted to make the card standard size too.  That's how this second card came about.  The difference between the cards is the colonial white ribbon was replaced by the ribbon from the Tulip mini-medley and I didn't use clear accents.  The Desert Sand focal point and words are raised.

So where did the papers come from?  The Crystal Blue background is from the paper packet Caboodle (X7121B) and the Outdoor Denim is from the You Rock paper packet (X7122B).  Lastly, the stamp set is Treasure Life (D1306).

Taking the Plunge

I've often thought about setting up my own blog.  The problem is that I feel I have to be updating it consistantly.  That's going to be the hardest part for me, but I'm going to try.

I'm trying to be more focused with what I work on in my spare time -- what there is of it anyway.  So I've decided to start participating with the Heart two Heart (aka H2H) Challenges.  I'm also going to try to do more of Jeanette Lynton's Color Me Monday (CMM) "challenges."  You can play along with both.  My last challenge was presented to me by Dawn Heuft.  She is going through Wishes and making a sample for each card in turn.  I've been doing something similar because I can't go in order.  My goal is to make at least one of each card within Wishes too.

I hope you are inspired by what you see.  Enjoy the ride, I know I will.  :)