Thursday, October 31, 2013

Huntington Damask Diva Blog Hop

Welcome to your next stop on the Damask Diva's Huntington Blog Hop! If you are coming from Jessica Wilson's blog you are in the right place! But no worries…if you are starting with my post you can find all the links to the blog hop at our Damask Diva blog.

This is just one of the projects I've made using the Huntington paper pack. I love the rich textures and colors CTMH has put together so much I've bought several packs so I'll have it for projects throughout the year!

Make it from Your Heart vol. 2

This card comes from our great Make it From Your Heart Vol. 2 book. It is found on page 43. Pattern 22 gives you great layers and a stamping area that is very versatile! I chose to use the beautiful stamp set for fall called, Happy Autumn. To begin with, I took the small cluster of flowers and inked them up using the Rock the Block technique. Rock the Block is when you first stamp your image in the lighter of 2 colors. Then you take the darker color but instead of fulling inking the stamp you gently rock your acrylic block in a circular motion touching only the edges of the stamp. For this card I used Autumn Terracotta ink as the base color and I rocked it onto Barn Red, just on the edges of the flower. I made one imprint and then without re-inking I immediately printed again underneath. This technique is called Stamping Off. Then I stamped the sentiment in Chocolate ink. I made this card as part of a Stamp-a -Stack class and below is an example of what one of the class members, Robin, made.

Super Cute!

I think Robin's card came out super cute! She masked (covered) part of the sentiment and then used the Turkey from the retired stamp set, C1426 Thanksgiving. On one of her other cards she changed it up a bit and used the pumpkin from this set and the pilgrim boy{2 cute}. 
While, buying new stamp sets is always exciting. I just love seeing how so many sets old and new can be used to create wonderful cards and layouts!  

Stamp a Stack

Here are some more pics from my Stamp-a-Stack class I held at my home. We had a great time stamping a variety of cards-10 cards in all!
The creativity and personal touches everyone adds to their cards always amazes me! I want to thank Robin, Shirley, and Jennifer for attending the class! 

It is so much fun to be a CTMH consultant! It has blessed my life in so many ways. 





Grateful!

I'm also so grateful to you for stopping by! I hope that you'll come back soon or better yet, join my blog and never miss a post! 
Now hop on over to Brenda's blog and see what she has been busy making for you! 

May the Blessings of Thanksgiving be with you the whole year through!
Sharon


Friday, October 25, 2013

Sympathy Card

I unfortunately had to make my first sympathy card since becoming a CTMH consultant. A few weeks ago, my cousin's college age son passed away unexpectedly. Such a tragic loss. While I haven't seen the young man since he was a toddler, his grandmother (my aunt) played a very important role in my life and I knew I needed to send sympathies to her.

Background stamping

I began the card by making an A2 card blank. Next I cut fronts for the card in 1/8 in increments with the bamboo card stock 1/8 in greater than the colonial white card stock. The using the Universal Background stamp set and bamboo ink I stamped the script background. 


Torn card stock technique

As you can see, I tore the corner off both the bamboo and white card stock. I find if you tear with an "up" motion with your dominant hand the paper tears and leaves the rough edge. All CTMH card stock has a white core perfect for this and for embossing.
I finished up the card by stamping the flower and sentiment. The flower is from a retired stamp set. Both sentiments are from Card Chatter-Sympathy stamp set. Don't dismiss this stamp set! It has great sentiments that work for many situations, not just in a time of loss. I've used this set many times for illness, baptisms and support of those going through a difficult time. I'm sure my aunt felt the love sent with this homemade card.


Want to start making your own cards?

Making your own cards is fun and easy! But even easier with CTMH Workshop on the Go Card Kits!
We have 2 card kits available in our Fall 2013 Idea Book: Laughing Lola and Frosted(Christmas) These are great crafting kits at an awesome VALUE!

But you can get even more value when you join my Monthly Kit Club! You'll get FREE products every month you order one of our Workshops on the Go or Decor Kits! Want to know more about the great monthly FREE products and the special gift at the end of the club? Click HERE!  I know you are going to LOVE the great products!


To order any of our great CTMH products, please click here! I appreciate your business and am just a click, email or call away to help you make the most of your crafting!



Wednesday, October 23, 2013

Whooo?

Just a quick post today! Awhile back I made this cute little bag from CTMH's Artiste Cartridge! I think it turned out pretty cute.

I cut this using several Artiste cuts:

  • Wings- Ovals
  • Feet-upside down heart
  • Eyes-scallopped flower and circle
  • Feathers-Artiste owl cut
  • Hand cut triangle for beak
I stamped the white feathers with our In the Background stamps. I also used a white gel pen to add some squiggles to the edge of the beak. The buttons are pretty large and heavy so I used large glue dots to stick them onto the eyes. 

I hope that this inspires you to create one also! 
To order CTMH products used in my projects, click here!

No Siesta! Paper Fiesta!

~Sharon

Monday, October 21, 2013

Same Cuts So Many Unique designs!

Recently, I provided the activity for a birthday party of a fellow crafter! Christina asked me to prepare an 8 x 10 layout where her friends and family could place a 4 x 6 photo. Isn't that a GREAT idea for a birthday party or ladies day out? I was so excited to do this so I got right to work!

Stella Paper to the Rescue

My first thought was how can I make something that will appeal to all sorts of people? And since 20 ladies were invited, what paper did I have enough of to make 20 sets of materials? The answer, thankfully, was the same for both questions: STELLA, a retired pack from a few years ago that I just loved!{Of course, I just love EVERY paper pack-LOL!}

Now to the design

I needed quick and easy to cut and to put together. But I also wanted something versatile enough that everyone's wouldn't look the same. I ended up cutting the double sided paper down to about 8 1/2 x 10 1/2 inches for the background. The left over from each 12 x 12 Boarder & Texture paper was then cut down into 1 1/2 in strips. Then I used our Art Philosophy Cricut Cartridge to cut a top note frame in cocoa card stock, a flower in the B&T, and from the Artiste Cartridge the word Family. The Artbooking Cartridge couldn't be left out so from there I cut the word Remember. Loving our zip strip, I ended up adding it to the layout also. Here are some of the designs I came up with using these simple cuts.

I love the lagoon card stock and how our double sided paper makes it so easy to change the look just by flipping the paper over. All of these pictured have a brown frame with brown script background stamped on it but I actually also provided lagoon frames and cocoa words in some of the baggies. You can see that I came up with 5 different designs. Not bad...but NOTHING like the creativity of the ladies who came to the party! Take a look at their work pictured below!

So versatile!

As you can see they ladies came up with their own designs that fit their personalities. 8-10 pieces of paper came together in all different ways. Best yet the ladies had a great time and many made more than 1 layout that afternoon. It was a fun filled party with crafting, laughing, a little chismé,  great food, sangria, and margaritas! Who could ask for more!

Color coordinated value!

It is amazing to me the value you get when you purchase one of CTMH's paper packs. 2 sheet of 3 designs Boarder and Texture paper AND matching card stock! That to me is such a blessing! When I first started to craft I'd pick paper packs out at the store downtown, get home and then realized I didn't have enough coordinating card stock. Back to the store I'd go, hoping and praying that one of their packs would work with my project, often spending more money, even with a 40% off coupon. It is such piece of mind, knowing when I open a paper pack up, I'll be able to do several projects with paper that all goes together beautifully. Then add My Creations Stickease or Compliments and your layouts, cards or craft projects will come together perfectly! 

So you like FREE?

Who doesn't like FREE? I have a new club just for you! Purchase 1 Workshop on the Go or Home Decor Kit each month for 5 months and get a FREE gift EACH month from me but that's not all! Learn more here or go to the Monthly Kit Club at the top of this blog!

Thanks for stopping by!

No siesta....Siempre Fiesta!
~Sharon



Saturday, October 19, 2013

Chantilly Cards and Free Product Announcement

Chantilly Cards

I love our Workshop on the Go and Decor Kits and that is why I'm launching a Monthly Kit Club complete with FREE gifts! More on that later!  Here are two cards I made with the left overs from the Chantilly Workshop on the Go Card Making Kit I purchased over summer!  One of the fun things about stamping and scrapping is that you can create with little scraps and supplies left over from bigger projects!


The green boarder and texture paper were left over pieces from the WOTG kit. I just trimmed the one on the right a bit to fit the card, added a focal point flower and a sentiment (or a group of them!) and I was done!

This one is my favorite of the two cards! I'm loving the multi-stamped sentiment look these days! I just grabbed a bunch of Happy Birthdays I have and made a design I liked. The Sweet Leaf green one is from the WOTG card kit. The large HB is from Card Chatter Birthday(D1475). The Sunset HB is my NEWEST stamp set that I'm soooo in love with as a card maker called Holiday Tags (D1560). It has decorative frames with coordinating holiday greetings. The flowers are Floret Paper Shapes (Z1764) and I used one of our brads.
This card is great for those who like Clean & Simple! I stamped the flower and leaves from Happy Thoughts Stamp Set (C1536) in sunset and olive inks. Then I fussy cut these. The label at the bottom is also from Happy Thoughts with that small Happy Birthday from Holiday Tags this time in Sweet Leaf. What do you think of these little cards? I'd love to hear from YOU! Comments are appreciated!

Card Making Kit

Above are the cards I made from our Chantilly Card Making kit offered in our last Idea Book! The card kit came with 15 base cards and envelopes as well as a C-sized stamp set exclusive to the kit (a $13.95 value) and the ribbon. These on-trend designs with chevrons and ribbons are easy to create with the included cutting and stamping guide. TIP: I always keep my WOTG guides to use with other papers later! You add your own inks, adhesive and creativity. We have several great kits available right now! These kits are a real bargain starting at $24.95! But wouldn't you love to get more bang for your buck? Well, you can by joining Paper Fiesta's Monthly Kit Club!

New Club & GREAT FREEBIES!

Today, I'm announcing my new Paper Fiesta Monthly Kit Club!  Join my 5-month club committing to purchase at least 1 kit per month and as a thank you I'll send you your choice of either a stamp pad, marker set, or re-inker. Then after you complete your 5 month term having purchased each month, you'll get to choose any A-D size stamp set FREE from our current products! It is a GREAT way to get all the kits you already want to buy anyway AND add great products to your craft supplies!  Ready to sign up? Click here. Want to learn more? Click here or on the Monthly Kit Club tab. There you'll find out all the details! 

Thanks for stopping by my Paper Fiesta! 

Until next time, 
No siesta, just paper fiesta!

Sharon

In need of stamping and scrapping supplies? Check out my CTMH store!






  


Sunday, October 13, 2013

Get Ready: Holidays from the Heart!

From Rosette Christmas Trees to Super Cute Stamps

Close to My Heart has done it again! They have added a holiday gift guide just in time for the Christmas! From the festive Sparkle and Shine paper with just a touch of silver to the new Hip Pics Album Kit you'll find quality items that every crafter must have! I just love the Sparkle & Shine paper used to make these trees. You can also get a matching Washi Tape 3-pack. This set of green, red and silver tape measures 15 yard for each color! Style and value that  is perfect for not only Christmas but all year long! 

Earn STAR items....FREE!

For every $100 you purchase from any combination of items from Holidays from the Heart and our Fall 2013 Idea Book you'll qualify for 1 'star' item from the holiday guide absolutely FREE! You'll also qualify for our fantastic Stamp of the Month! This great scandinavian Christmas set will add style and fun to your cards and layouts!

Limited time

The Holidays from the Heart gift guide is here for a limited time. Check back on my online shop from October 15th -December 31. Take advantage of these great products, many of which are while supplies last! Remember, to join one of my online gatherings when you order! Or if you plan to order more than $150, contact me before you order and I'll set it up so you get Hostess Rewards!

Inspiration coming!

I've got some great projects I'll be posting for Christmas and they'll include Sparkle & Shine! Please make sure to check in with my Facebook page and this blog. You don't want to miss out! 

Party on! No siesta! Let's Fiesta! 

Sharon

Thursday, October 10, 2013

Eight Great How-to Helps: CTMH Layouts and Card Making books!



These how to books are so great! These are tried and true recipes for your crafting! From beginners to pros you'll find great project ideas that are easy to make your own. Each of these books is under $20 and 6 of them are spiral bound which makes them easy to open and use as your crafting.

You can find all of these books by clicking here or click on the individual title for more specific info:
Cherish Scrapbook Program (9038)
Imagine Scrapbook Program (9039)
Magic Scrapbook Program (9040) -Interactive pages for advanced scrappers
Reflections Scrapbook Program (9041)
Wishes Card Confidence Program (9041)
Originals Card Confidence Program (9036)
Make it from Your Heart Vol. 1 (9035)
Make it from Your Heart Vo. 2 (9042) which includes great ways to use Artbooking Cartridge cuts!

Take a peek at a layout I made recently using Make it from Your Heart Vol. 1 by clicking here.

Thanks and remember No Siesta, Paper Fiesta!

Sharon

Tuesday, October 8, 2013

Family Mini Album

Front Cover

Today I'm showcasing an album a made awhile back for my niece Holly. I used Avonlea paper because it was the paper I used for her baby's name banner. I also used the retired All Sorts Mini album from CTMH. Each page was covered in card stock using CTMH's Bonding Memories Glue. There are also several cuts from our great Cricut Collections. Many of the frames, tags, and even the envelope on the back of the album were all made using the Cricut. Our paper packs make it so easy since everything coordinates and when you add our Stickease or Compliments you have all you need to make those special cards, mini albums or layouts!

Back cover with additional tags & journals

Take a look inside! 





Current Products used in mini-album

In addition to the album I sent Holly a small keepsake card. Think of it as a dedication card in a way because I got to say how much she means to me.

Coordinating Card


I had such a great time making this album that I decided to make one for my other niece using the Tommy Paper Pack. I'll have that one posted soon!

Need crafting supplies?

I hope you'll give me an opportunity to earn your business! I offer support to all my customers...near and far!  My Close to My Heart business page is just 1 click away. Make sure to JOIN a gathering listed when you purchase under $150. If you are looking to spend more than $150, please contact me so I can set up your OWN gathering and earn hostess rewards! 

Thanks for joining the party! You're invited to come back soon and check out all my posts. I love getting comments and would appreciate them!



Monday, September 30, 2013

Laughing Lola Blog Hop by the Damask Divas

So glad you joined the Damask Divas' Laughing Lola Blog Hop! If you got here from Mandy's post featuring Laughing Lola you are in the right place! If you ever get lost along the way, you can always find the entire list of links for the hop at our very own Damask Diva Blog.

For this month's hop I'm sharing two scrapbooking layouts I made using the Laughing Lola paper pack and layout #6 from Make it From Your Heart Vol. 1. I made these for a recent swap and while that base and cuts were the same, I decorated each one a bit differently! I love having the dimensional elements and how just changing their placement changes the feel of each layout.

Chevrons add a different feel
Flower, plume, and arrow from dimensionals

 Paisley Perfect

Using the Paisley Perfect stamp set, our Black Exclusive Ink, and Clear Embossing Powder, I stamped and embossed several paisley shapes on both Laughing Lola B&T paper and lagoon card stock. Then I fussy cut them out and placed them on the layout in different locations. (If you'd like to see another clear embossed project click here.)
The title Sassy was cut from our newest Cricut Cartridge: Artbooking. I believe I cut it at about 1.5 inches. Also cut and stamped from our great Artbooking Collection was the decorative journal piece in daisy white card stock and lagoon ink. Here you can see the paper colors coming through the paisley stamps as well as the shine from the embossing powder. A little shimmer tape and some  
some sparkles added just the right touch.
The thin and ornate stamped boarder you see running vertically on the Laughing Lola purple card stock is from the retired Wicked stamp set.

While the colors are fantastic I also love this layout because you can fit so many different sized photos on it: From the three 3x3 on the left hand side to two 4x6s or four 2x3s in the center panel. And if you used our fabulous Flip Flaps there are even more possibilities.


CTMH Supplies for this project

Here are the wonderful products still available from CTMH. Click on the items you can't live without and order TODAY!
Zip strip from Laughing Lola paper



Thanks so much for hoping on by! Please stop by again soon or better yet, subscribe to my blog and join my Facebook page. There are easy links on the right and left side of this post to do just that.
Here is a sneak peek of upcoming posts:


Your next stop on this Damask Diva Laughing Lola Blog Hop is the talented Traci Williams.  

Comments and questions are always welcome here or on my Facebook Page!

Celebrate Life!

~Sharon

Sunday, September 22, 2013

Quick ALL Card Stock Card!

Yesterday, parents of former students called and invited me to a family event celebrating their aunt and uncle's 40th anniversary. I accepted their invitation but didn't have an anniversary card ready in my stash. A quick Google search gave me the inspiration I needed! Kim O'Connell had a great card on her blog which I made my own using CTMH's three Cricut Cartridges: Art Philosophy, Artiste, and Artbooking. I used only card stock and the script stamp from Universal Backgrounds stamp set, glue, and some brads from my stash.

Happy Anniversary!


The card base is 5x5 inch daisy white card stock. I also cut a 4x4 inch piece of black card stock and using Cricut Craft Room was able to cut the top note shape out of the center. I also cut the numbers from the black. On another mat I placed red and white card stock to cut out the flowers, ribbon (in both colors: red & white). I had the green swirl (behind the flowers) pre-cut in my stash. Some quick glue, brads, and glue dots and my card was done!

CTMH makes things so easy! Check out more products and craft ideas by going to my online shop: Sharon's CTMH.

Thanks for stopping by!

Sharon

Monday, September 2, 2013

Bring the beach with you!

Happy September!

Hope you had a great Labor Day with family and friends! Before I show you the Portable Padre that a friend made, let me tell you about the great offers CTMH has for September! All of these offers along with great card making and scrapbooking papers can be purchased on my online store by clicking here!

Celebrate National Stamping Month!


Love stamping? Then it's time to celebrate with CTMH's Exclusive "You are my Happy" set of 3 stamps worth over $40! Aren't they adorable?!? You can get your set for only $10 when you order $50 in products. Check out this great video highlighting projects you can make with this set.


Get even more bang for your buck!

It's easy! Because that same $50 purchase also qualifies you for the September Stamp of the Month for just $5 a savings of 70%. This D-size stamp set called Poster Tidings celebrate fall and Christmas in two stamps that just like the name~look like posters. Perfect for the chalkboard look! 


Ready to order your qualifying purchase?

I'd love to be YOUR consultant! I'm happy to help you with any questions or even work with you over Skype! Join the Paper Fiesta today! Shop here!

Portable Padre!




Isn't this a cool way to send the beach to someone?!? A good friend of mine, Shirley, recently made this Portable Padre reusing an Altoid tin, acrylic paint, CTMH Footloose Paper, CTMH Under the Sea stamp set, tiny cork bottles from Hobby Lobby, sand, water, and shells all collected from South Padre Island. It would also make a great keepsake for your next trip to the beach!

Uplifting a friend

 Shirley belongs to a group of ladies who RV, called The Pink Flamingos (hence the flamingo in the tin). They visited the Rio Grande Valley of Texas awhile back and had a day set up to visit Padre. One of the group members, Sharon, had been ill prior to coming and had to leave early as her condition deteriorated. This caused her to miss going to Padre which she so wanted to do. She traveled to San Antonio and after a complete work up she was diagnosed with cancer. Shirley, being an RN, could tell that something was very wrong with Sharon's health. She also knew how much Sharon wanted to see the beach. So Shirley made this great portable beach to raise her spirits. What a great present! Today, Sharon is free of the cancer after chemo and radiation therapy. 
Praise God! 

One of the reasons I love crafting so much is that it adds a personal touch as we uplift, celebrate and acknowledge our loved ones. This is a perfect example! We are truly blessed to be a blessing.

Take time this week to celebrate life by sharing your crafts with others!


Blessings!

Sharon

Wednesday, August 28, 2013

Clean and Simple Monogram Cards

Need a quick gift? How about a monogram card?

Today's cards are simple gifts I made for two friends using the retired monogram and Eclectic Edges boarder stamps from CTMH.  Luckily, they have the same initial as I do! Don't have a monogram or Eclectic Edges-no worries! YOU can easily use any 1 to 1 1/2 inch Alpha stamp and any boarder set you already have to do this! Check out the cards!

Like I said, these cards are so easy to make! I made 4 card bases out of Daisy White card stock cutting it down 12"x12" sheets into 8.5"x11" and then cutting them in half. The extra white pieces were used to stamp with the edge stamp in our Black Exclusive Ink and then I sprinkled on our Clear Detail Embossing Powder and heat set it. I love how it came out! Clear, crisp and shiny. The black card stock behind the stamped image is 1"x5.5. These were glued together with our very own Bonding Memories Glue

Artiste Cricut Fancy Frame

The monogram was stamped on a fancy frame I found on our CTMH Artiste Cricut Cartridge. While this cartridge has lots of 3-d items that are super cool, don't forget it has trendy shapes to add to your layouts and cards! In this case the original image has a circle cut out of the middle. But I use Cricut Craft Room and hid the contour which took out the whole in the center and gave me a perfect place to stamp my monogram. You can find the cut on p.74 Accent 3 of Mother's Day projects. It is so lacy and beautiful. I thought it worked perfectly with the 
style of the stamps. This one is cut at 2".  It is popped up with some foam tape to add dimension.

Add an extra touch!

Don't forget to add an extra touch by stamping the envelopes. Some I stamped with the same edges and others (see top picture) I used the monogram stamp. I also created a nice card box to hold the cards decorating it identically. I found the tutorial video for the box at Frenchie Stamps. She has some awesome tutorials available. 

I can't wait to give these gifts to my friends! If you would like any CTMH products, shop here!
If you would like support or classes both are available online or in person! Just email me!

Blessings!

Sharon







Wednesday, August 21, 2013

Bend 'em, Curve 'em, Get the MOST out of CTMH stamps!

One really cool thing about the CTMH Acrylic Stamp sets is that they are soooo flexible! You can bend, curve or easily mask part of the stamp using several different techniques!

So Easy to Mask by Bending

In this Cozy Cat design I took the purrr from the entire sentiment you see at the bottom of the circle and used only the purr by wrapping the left side of the stamp with the word You're around my acrylic block and since the block/stamp is see through, I only inked up the letters p-u-r-r-r. If I did get a bit of ink on the dash or 'fect' part of the stamp I simply covered the pear paper with a Post-It ensuring that the ink would go on it instead of the card stock!




















This card's sentiment Treasured Friend was also curved on the block. I did it by putting the pre-cut banner (cut using one of our great Cricut Cartridges!) down on my VersaMat and then laying my stamp right on top. Since the acrylic stamps have a bit of stickiness to them, with some pressure they will stay. Then I placed the acrylic block on top, pushing lightly to get it to stick to the block but making sure the stamp didn't shift as I pushed. This sounds so much more complicated than it actually is! Then I just inked up the stamp and created this great curvy image!









Even more Curves

This picture shows how much the stamps can be super curved! The slate rope image at the top of this card from the Avonlea Card Workshop On the Go kit is actually a straight boarder image. The card has 2 of the images being stamped so that they meet just left of the middle of the card. This one I did a bit different. Instead of curving the stamp set on the paper, I curved the stamp right on the block and practiced a few times on my grid paper until I got the curve I liked best. And again, because our stamps are 'Clearly the BEST' you can see right where to stamp and so overlapping the design was a snap!

Design your own

Not enough versatility? Well, then try this: Make your own designer paper! Simply random stamp with 1, 2 or a whole set of stamps on your card stock. I use this often when I know someone's favorite color or I need to use colors not in our current paper packs for a project. This card is made with the Love Blooms stamp set. The top is just random stamping on the card base. The flowers and leaves on the bottom 3rd of the card were stamped and cut out using our amazing micro-tipped scissors. We now have them available in regular and non-stick! I loved the regular ones so much, I bought 2 so I could use them during classes. The new non-stick ones are at the top of my wish list!

Interested in CTMH products?

There are so many great ways to use our clear acrylic stamp sets! I'd love to introduce you to our line of products. Know what you want already? Then please place an order at my online store. If you would like to host your own gathering and earn hostess gifts, please contact me! Even if you live across the country, you can hold an on-line party and invite your friends via email. They make online purchases and YOU reap the rewards!  

Live in South Texas and need a Girls' Night Out?

If you live in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas I'd love to be your consultant! I have a small studio in my home where I hold gatherings, crops and classes. Any of the Workshops on the Go or projects on my blog can be made! Cost depends on the projects you want to do but usually ends up much less than a movie and snacks! Get a group of girls together or even mother-daughter teams and we can have lots of fun scrapping or card making in my studio! 

You may order products on line at www.sharon.ctmh.com or clicking here. You may contact me to host a party or gathering by leaving a comment here or on my FaceBook page!


Sunday, June 30, 2013

Pre-order Special on CTMH's New Cricut Cartridge: ARTBOOKING!

Unique designs ~ Mini-Books ~ 12x12 Layouts

CTMH and Cricut have done it again! Introducing the new Artbooking Cricut Cartridge offered exclusively from CTMH. With over 700 images, 15 layout themes, and 10 mini-books this is the cartridge that will take your layouts, cards and decor to the next level. 

Here's what you get:

  1. The Exclusive CTMH Artbooking Cartridge with over 700 images (fonts, mini-books, layouts)
  2. Three D-size Coordinating My Acrylic Stamp sets
  3. Three Coordinating 12 x 9 Dimensional Elements (chipboard)
All for $99! 

Pre-order Special Available now through July 29th!

My pre-order special includes FREE shipping and TAX. Cartridge bundle will come directly from the company as soon as they are available. Your name will be entered into a drawing for $25 credit towards your next purchase once I have $150 in pre-orders. Order now through Paypal!







I'll be ordering my cartridge tomorrow during consultant pre-view! As soon as I get it I'll be posting pictures and tutorials. And if that isn't enough, so will CTMH! They have a multi-week on-line tutorial planned starting in September to make sure you get the most from your cartridge!

The Paper Fiesta is just getting started!
Sharon

Friday, May 31, 2013

Damask Diva Tommy or Later Sk8r June Blog Hop!

Thanks so much for joining the Damask Diva Tommy or Later Sk8r Blog Hop! If you are coming from  Tracy William's blog then you are in the right place! If you joined the hop because you are one of my followers, you won't want to miss ANY of the great projects so I recommend you click here to get the entire list of participants on the Damask Diva blog. A great place for inspiration from the team led by the fabulous Mandy Leahy!

I was so excited about this month's hop and knew exactly what I was going to do with the Tommy Paper Pack which has a nautical theme! But then time got away from me and that project had to go on hold {tear} So instead, I decided to make a Later Sk8r card with one of my favorite A-size stamps!

My Later Sk8r project!

Ok, so Later Sk8r is the PERFECT paper for boys: Gears, Sk8boarding.....but all my nieces are, well...nieces! But the colors in this are so great that they work for so many different projects! I can imagine using these sheets for any athletic or adventure scrapbooking or even with the blues for some accents on a beach page! But in this case I used the paper for a simple but stylish card with my furry friend from Cozy Cat (A1140). Which is so affordable at $6.95! 

Paper piecing!

I wanted to give some dimension to the cat so I stamped the image 3 times. Twice on the dotted paper{Shhh! Don't tell anyone! That paper comes from the Claire Paper Pack} and one time on the plaid paper. Then I fussy cut the images out and layered them. You'll notice I have 2 layers on the body and the third layer is the nose! These were popped up with our fabulous foam tape. I like the tape for just this kind of project where I need really small pieces and a few really long ones to add stability.  I used a marker to color in the nose and collar and a small sparkle for the charm.
To add just a bit more bling, I adhered the Green & Blue Epoxy Bubbles (Z1806) which work perfectly with this paper pack! For only $3.99 they pack a great punch that doesn't knock out your pocket book! Looks like need to reposition one of them to straighten them out! 

Card Base and Inspiration

Normally I wouldn't talk a lot about the card base but I think this one is pretty cool! All of it comes from the Later Sk8r paper pack! The top strip is the Outdoor Denim card stock~which is another thing I love about our paper packs-no guessing! The card stock that coordinates is right in the pack!  The middle strip is the zip strip from one of  the sheets but I actually cut it wider than the strip so it included some of that beautiful blue. The bottom is another texture paper which looks like the metal groves from inside a truck bed or some tool boxes. Finally the slate and pear pieces that were layered on top are at the size. I cut the circle using my Cricut Art Philosophy{heart}and CCR. I cut the circle at 3 inches. The slate card stock was hand cut and both of these pieces as well as the finished card were sponged in Outdoor Denim Ink. I can't take credit for this design! It comes from Operation Write Home, a fantastic way to give back to our nation's armed forces by sending blank cards so they can write home! They have over 150 different card sketches for download. While that is fabulous enough....each of the sketches includes the dimensions! This makes them so easy to do! 

Another note of inspiration

The idea of paper piercing the cat came from Allisa whose card I spotted on Pinterest! She is another CTMH consultant that does amazing work! You can go to her inspiring blog by clicking here. It will take you right to the Cozy Cat card! 
A huge thank you to both OWH and Allisa for your designs and ideas!
And of course, I couldn't let this opportunity go by to show you my feline inspiration as well! 
This is Baby, a stray that came into my garage over 10 years ago as a tiny little kitten. She is now quite at home on my bed! She is just one of 3 cats who live with someone who considered herself a dog person! These independent, yet loving creatures can sneak up on your heart!


Speaking of Pinterest, I'd love it if you followed me there, on Facebook(click the link at the top left on this blog) or joined my blog! 
Thanks for stopping by! More inspiration awaits on Cindy Fowler's blog!

Sharon 


Monday, May 13, 2013

Show me Your Craft Room Space



I am posting today as a guest designer for Craft It Up & Link It Up Linky Party hosted by Tara of Craftin Desert Divas! Every other Monday will mark the beginning of a new semi-weekly linky party and you could win fabulous prizes!!

This linky party theme is Show your Craft Room. The sponsors are Robins Nest, Robin Carroll, and Craftin Desert Divas! That's right~3 great prizes!  The more you link up, the better chance you have to win.  Visit Craftin Desert Divas for all the rules and to play along.


Here is what I created for this linky party....

My Craft Room

My craft room is pretty simple! I reused several pieces of furniture I already had like my old computer desk, wardrobe, end table and dresser. I did purchase a metal shelf and a large fold up table from Target when they were on sale. I also turned a jewlery armoire into my photo area. Right now I have a black through from Wal-Mart as part of the background. Sometimes I use a plastic storage container and make my own light box by lining it with colored card stock. 

I love my Cricut and BigShot!

My Cricut Expression is my go to machine. I started paper crafting with this as my first purchase! So I don't have many dies or punches.  My go to cartridges are CTMH Art Philosophy and Artiste. I use my BigShot for embossing which I love to do!
 My yellow and blue baskets keep my in use stamps and embellishments at hand. Once I'm done with a project, I put all the supplies back. Well, that's the plan anyway! Here are some close up looks at how I've organized my supplies. Again nothing fancy but it works! At least for now....




I love my new CTMH Large organizer for my stamps. I'm still trying to organize my sets for ease of use. But I'm pretty sure I'll end up purchasing another one since they hold so many and are under $25! 

Thanks and...

I want to thank Robin Carroll for inviting me to be a guest designer! I'm also so glad you stopped by today to check out my craft room! I hope you'll browse through some of my other projects I've posted! Since I'm a CTMH consultant most of the posts include their products. If you like what you see, I'd love it if you followed my blog and FaceBook page!  Now it is your turn....


Hope you will Craft It Up &

Link It Up!!!