Tuesday, June 30, 2015

Stamp of the Month Blog Hop - July: Life is Wonderful


Welcome to the July Stamp of the Month Blog Hop! This month features is Life is Wonderful, a set of 8 stamps.

If you have come here from {Jacquelin Green’s blog}, you’re in the right place! There are more than 40 independent Close to My Heart consultants participating. Click on the link at the end of the post on each blog to move through the Hop.

The Blog Hop is a great big circle. Start here and work your way around. If you get lost along the way you’ll find a complete list of participating consultants here. You can use this list to pick up where you left off.

Off we go!


This last round of swaps has come full circle as I started with having Picture My Life cards as my assignment, and that’s what I ended on as well.

Because of the larger nature of several of the stamps in this set, I decided right away to make a page with all the cards the same size. This also meant that 4” x 6” was the best size. I felt like I wanted to make a feature out of the “Life is Wonderful” phrase, so I spread it out over two cards.


I did some tone-on-tone stamping with the corner flourishes, used the Chevron Border Punch and backed the cut-outs with Bronze Shimmer Trim, and I used one of the zip strips, too. A simple page of cards but one that would be perfect for Father’s Day photos and memories. 

Here is what I used. All products are Close to My Heart:

S1507 Life is Wonderful My Acrylix® Stamp Set

Now “Hop” on over to {Michelle Loncar’s blog} to see her work, and be sure to show the other consultants on the hop some love, too! Don’t forget, this exclusive stamp set is only available through July 31st. Click here to place your order today!


Saturday, June 6, 2015

Summer Crush - My Crush™ Books Blog Hop


Welcome to the Summer Crush Blog Hop, which features the My Crush™ line from Close to My Heart! From books and clips to assortments and sticky tabs, the My Crush™ line includes plenty of fun products to get you on your way to creating something fabulous. (Complete details on the promotion are at the end of this post.)

If you have come here from {Darlys Recker’s blog}, you’re in the right place! There are more than 30 independent Close to My Heart consultants participating. Click on the link at the end of the post on each blog to move through the Hop.

The Blog Hop is a great big circle. Start here and work your way around. If you get lost along the way you’ll find a complete list of participating consultants here. You can use this list to pick up where you left off.

Here we go!

My Crush Modville Book

About a month ago, Close to My Heart posted a video highlighting the For Him and For Her My Crush™ books. This video showcased a variety of My Crush™ artwork, including cards and layouts with pages that had been torn from the books. After watching the video, I knew exactly what I wanted to do for my project. (You can see the video here.)

When the My Crush™ line first came out last year, there were just two books – Modville and Bluebird – and I ordered one of each. Upon arrival, I opened my Modville book only to find that the wire binding was a bit smashed on the inside. (These things sometimes happen, and Close to My Heart is great about replacement products.) I got a new one but was able to keep the damaged one, too. I’d put it away with the idea that someday I’d do something with it.

This was my chance! The perfect opportunity to use something from my stash! I flipped through the pages, and as soon as I saw the words “My Favorite Things,” my idea started becoming more complete. I tore out some of the pages I wanted to use and began putting the pieces into place. My son's birthday is this month, so I thought it would fun to catch this moment in time and have him list his favorite things.


I used Cricut Craft Room to alter the calendar overlay found on the Artbooking cartridge. I removed all the small boxes and added 3 larger ones to use as photo frames. I also created the date in Cricut Craft Room with the font found on Artiste. I used scrap pieces from some of the torn out pages to fill in some of the empty spaces on both pages. Washi Tape and stickers from the assortments were what I used for embellishments. 


The photos for the left page highlight his love of reading (and he happens to be reading a James Bond book), playing outside with a neighbor, and sleeping. (I don't buy this one at all, but it's his list.)


The photos on the right page highlight his love of being at a friend's ranch where he can ride our quad, his new-found love of paintball, riding his bike, food, and ducks.

Here is what I used. All products are Close to My Heart:

My Crush™ Modville Book
My Crush™ Best Day Ever Assortment
My Crush™ Besties Assortment
Outdoor Denim Cardstock
Kraft Cardstock
Black Arrow Washi Tape
Sunset Chevron Washi Tape
Cricut® Artiste Collection
Cricut® Artbooking Collection
Cricut Craft Room

Now “Hop” on over to {Michelle Battitori’s blog} to see her work, and be sure to visit each of the other blogs in the hop to see the many possibilities for the My Crush™ line. 

Click here to place an order today!


*During the month of June, when you purchase any My Crush™ book and its accompanying assortment pictured in Annual Inspirations 2014–2015, you will receive the coordinating stamp set FREE! That is a savings of at least $9.95 USD / $10.95 CAD! Choose from five lovely My Crush book offerings that will provide a swoon-worthy background for your favorite memories. From family reunions to camping adventures to holiday countdowns—and much more—you will be crushing on all these books and the possibilities they provide. Every My Crush book features a hard cover with wire binding and cardstock-weight pages that are printed with eye-catching designs to form the perfect bases for your memory keeping. Additionally, each My Crush book also features unique details—from glossy print, to vellum pages, to gold foil, to ink-resistant patterns—that make displaying your personality easier than ever. Plus, once you add the artistry of the coordinating assortments featuring sticker sheets, envelopes, alphabets, cards, and journaling spots, along with your free stamp set, you will be well on your way to your own gorgeous mini book creation! This offer is only available while supplies last and once they’re gone, these books are gone for good, so put your orders in early to get your summer romance rolling today!

Offer valid June 1, 2015 (9:00 am MDT) – June 30, 2015 (11:59 pm MDT).