August SOTM Blog Hop

Welcome to the Stamp of the Month Blog Hop!  We will be featuring August’s SOTM, Baroque Borders, a set of 5 stamps.  If you have come here from Mary's Blog, you are on the right path! The blog hop is a great big circle, so you can start here and work your way all around.  If you get lost along the way, you’ll find the complete list of participating consultants here. 

The August Stamp of the Month, Baroque Borders, features large stamps that are perfect for backgrounds.  I chose to use one of the smaller flourishes for the background of my card.  I stamped the flourish in a circle to resemble a floral background.  I stamped with the new pigment ink pad sets.  It gives almost a velvety look to the background.   My color scheme is Slate and Ruby....both new comers to the Close To My Heart color palette.   The border on my card is made with the new Slate Polka Dot Ribbon.  For my Thanks saying, I stamped in slate pigment ink and then went over the image with Glitz Glitter Gel.  The decorative shape and layer were cut with the Cricut Artiste Collection. Add a few Rhinestone Brads and you have a very elegant Thank You Card.  My card is based on the sketch challenge this week at The Pink Elephant.

All supplies by Close To My Heart:
Z1790 Cricut Artiste Collection
S1208 Baroque Borders
A1125 Thanks
X5930 Slate Cardstock
X5927 Ruby Cardstock
1388 Colonial White Cardstock
Z2503 Basics Pigment Inks
Z1313 Stardust Glitz Gel
Z1360 Rhinestone Brads
Z1802 Slate Satin Ribbon

A sampling of artwork by the Close To My Heart corporate office.

 We have over 50 consultants participating in the blog hop.  Hop on over to Katy's Blog to see her work! Be sure to visit all the Consultants at their Blogs to get some great crafting ideas! Remember, the August SOTM is only available until August 31, 2012.

I have also entered my card in the following challenges:

A & T Emerald Faeries Challenge -Flourishes & Swirls

Card Makin' Mamas -Recipe : 1 image, 2 papers, 3 embellishments

City Crafter Challenge -Solid As A Rock

Craft Your Days Away -50 Shades of Grey and one other

Die Cuttin' Divas - Anything Goes

Thanks for stopping by!

Words of Comfort

I was determined to get my entry in for this week’s CASE Study Challenge.   I just had to find the right bird! I finally found the perfect bird......not in a stamp drawer but in a paper pad!  How many of you buy those gorgeous glittery paper pads (usually with a coupon!) and never cut into them???  While I love the looks of them....they never seem to fit into the grand scheme of my crafting adventures.   This paper with the embellished bird came from the Recollections Portobello Road Collection.  A collection of 48 papers.............which I purchased for one glittery bronc rider.  I am clueless how a bronc rider and western themed pages go along with this bird and frame!  My quest for the perfect bird started with this inspiration card by Kristii Lockart.

  

Once I found the perfect page, I had to set out making it my own.  I cut out the inner oval and matted with a script background page.  (I even managed to use another piece of paper from the paper pack!)  I then stamped my sentiment in Coca Pigment Ink.  I love the richness of the new pigment inks by Close To My Heart.  Here is a close up of the oval.

I carried over the same text paper to the inside of my card as well.  I distressed the edges to give it a bit of an aged look.  I love the end result.  I think I need to actual make the bronco card that I bought the pad for in the first place!

Supplies by Close To My Heart, except where noted:

C1524 Words of Comfort-Avail 8/1

Portobello Road Paper Pad-Recollections

X5642 Cocoa Cardstock

Retired Aspen Green Cardstock

Z2503 Basics Pigment Inks-Avail 8/1

Z1316 Cocoa Collection Ribbon

I have also entered my card in the following challenges:

Craftymess Challenge -Birds

Paper Pretties -Use 2 or more Design Papers 

The Crafty Pad -Things with Wings 

Thanks for stopping by!

Retro Sketches #22

I am still building on my Christmas card stash.  This card is based on the sketch challenge this week at Retro Sketches. I cut my decorative shape and layers with the Cricut Artiste cartridge.  The shape is meant to be part of a mini album.....it works great for cards as well though!  Here is the original sketch-

All supplies by Close To My Heart:

Z1790 Cricut Artiste*

G1043 Pear & Partridge Cardmaking Kit*

1282 New England Ivy Cardstock*

Z2503 Basics Pigment Ink*

Z2502 Enchantment Pigment Ink*

Z1760 Burlap Ribbon*

Z1387 Wooden Buttons

*All items will be released 8/1/12 in the new Fall/Winter Idea Book!

I have also entered my card in the following challenges:

2 Sisters -Christmas in July

ABC Christmas Challenge - Christmas 

Addicted to Stamps -Christmas in July

Hiding in my Craft Room -Christmas in July

Shelly's Images - Christmas in July

Stamp n Doodle -  Christmas in July

Sweet Stampin - Christmas in July

The Perfect Sentiment - winter holiday w/diecut border

Thanks for stopping by!

CAS-ual Fridays Color Challenge

CAS-ual Fridays is having a color challenge this week.  I stopped myself from adding embellishments, to keep it clean and simple!

The stamp set I used is a sneak peek at an upcoming special stamp promotion in August!  More details to come...

All supplies by Close To My Heart:

CC1020 It's Your Day

1385 White Daisy Cardstock

Z2113 Clover Meadow Ink

Z2192 Pacifica Ink

Z2195 Lagoon Ink

I have also entered this card in the following challenges:

Card Crafter's Circle – Clean & Simple

Paper Pretties  - CAS (Clean and Simple) 

Shopping Our Stash -Something New (stamp set)

Thanks for stopping by!