Convention Swaps Batch Two

As promised, here are a few photos of batch #2 of my Convention Swaps.
Some of the batches I will post, others I will leave for an element of surprise at the Convention.
I try to make each batch somewhat different, by changing the style, layout, technique etc.

I made 13 cards to swap at convention.
These 13 cards were made into two different sets.
For both sets, I tried to create a semi monochromatic look.

In this first set, the flowers came from the stamp set Beautiful Friendship-Scrapbooking 

by Close to my Heart, I used them to make a One Sheet Wonder piece, for a few of the cards.
For the One Sheet Wonder patterned paper I made, I used Juniper and Lagoon ink.

I used Juniper, Lagoon, Peacock, and White Daisy cardstock for most of the floral cards as well.
The cards are all based with the White Cards and EnvelopesValue Pack.

Most of the cards, have panels that are distressed with Pewter ink.

The "Perspective is Everything" and "the World is Yours to Explore" sentiments both came from the "A New Adventure" stamp set.

This set is so versatile and definitely one of my personal favorites.
For most of the sentiments I mounted them with 3-D Foam Tape.

For the second group of cards, I used Kraft, Pewter, and Sapphire for the A Big Thank You Thin Cuts overlay.  

Underneath is a layer of White Daisy that has been distressed with Glacier, Lagoon, and Sapphire ink. Love this color combo.

The cards are all based with the White Cards and EnvelopesValue Pack.

To attach the overlays I used the Bonding Memories Dual Action Glue Pen.

I used the Bitty Sparkles to embellish all of the cards.

Hope you enjoyed these, as much as I did making them.

As always if you have any questions at all please let me know.

Congratulations Card for Your Little Slugger...

Anyone that knows me will tell you my favorite sport is baseball! 

Always has been since I was barely walking well. 

My father played when I was growing up, so I watched many games in person as a small child, then as a teenager I was a baseball manager for the junior varsity and varsity teams. 

I loved it! 

These days, I attend games when can, and watch them on tv even more. 

So the moment I saw this Slugger Sam digital image, from Dr. Digi's House of Stamps, 

I knew I had to have it.

It is so versatile, you can color him any combination to match someones favorite team.

I mostly chose to use several shades of red, brown, and beige with my Copic markers.

I then also brushed all of the brown colored areas with the Gold Shimmer Brush. 
I popped him up with 3-D Foam Tape.

For the card itself, I started out with a 4 1/4 x 5 1/2 White Daisy Cardstock card base. 

I used a layer of Ruby Cardstock and then a layer of Kraft Cardstock.

I used a layer of Ruby Printed Paper from the Enchantment Fundamental Paper Packet. The polka dots were perfect for a sibilance of baseballs.

The little horizontal band across the card, is a layer of Ruby Cardstock as well. 

The Oval sentiment is a layer of White Daisy.

The sentiment "A Day to Remember" is a perfect way to celebrate your little Sluggers first game, championship, or a win!  
These two stamps together would be perfect for a scrapbooking layout as well!
The sentiment comes from the stamp set Highlight Reel, 
which will be our July Stamp of the Month! 

So keep in mind your will be able to purchase it in July for only $5 with any $50 purchase.

I stamped the sentiment in Tuxedo Black Memento Ink.

Finally, I added just a few little red dot embellishments from the Stargazer Dots pack.

I entered this card into the following Challenges:

Pile It On Challenge Blog! - #142 Sports/Hobbies

Through The Craft Room Door - Week of May 15th Anything Goes 

The Paper Nest Dolls Challenge Blog - May Challenge

Jo's Scrap Shack- Fun-Day Friday Challenge #234 Anything Goes 

Addicted to Stamps and More - #292 Make Your Mark (Copics)

2 Sisters on the Blog - #15 Three of a Kind (3 Red Dots, 3 Types of Paper/Cardstock)

A Perfect Time To Craft- #5 May 2018 Anything Goes 

Crafts Galore Encore Challenge Blog - #51 Anything Goes 

Thank you so much for stopping by, please consider leaving a comment below.

Convention Swaps Are Underway...

I am so excited, in just a few weeks, I will be driving across the country again out west to Close to my Heart's annual convention. 

This year it is in Las Vegas!

I've been to Las Vegas, once before a few years ago, to visit my husband's family. 

While out there this year, I am going to try to spend some time with them again. 

If you have ever been to a Scrapbooking/Stamping convention, then you know swapping your handmade cards is a big deal!

Last time, I think I swapped over 100 cards. 

My goal this year is at least 50, but I am going to try to reach 100 if I can. 

So since I have such a lofty goal, I knew I needed to go ahead and get started. 

So this weekend, I didn't have much planned, so cards it is. 

Now some folks like to make all of their cards exactly the same, kind of like an assembly line. 

I personally like to make mine that way, but in small batches, then switch the colors, layout, etc. 

So today I am sharing with you my first batch.

I made 6 cards to swap at convention, and a card for a dear friend that is feeling under the weather. 

I used the One-Sheet-Wonder Technique, to create the floral print paper. 

The flowers, and leaves came from the stamp set Beautiful Friendship-Scrapbooking by Close to my Heart.
The cards are all based with the White Cards and EnvelopesValue Pack.

I used Thistle, Smoothie, and Bashful for the two-step stamped flowers and Sweet Leaf for the leaves.

Most of the cards, have the top panel of White Daisy, distressed with Pewter ink.

The "Life is Better With Friends"sentiment came from that same set. 

These were both stamped in Pewter ink. 

The "Simply Beautiful" sentiment came from the "A New Adventure" stamp set. 

This set is so versatile and definitely one of my personal favorites. 

I used our new Thin Cuts- Stitched Ovals and our Thin Cuts- Basic Ovals for the sentiment and them mounted it with 3-D Foam Tape.

These were stamped in Pewter on White Daisy cardstock, then layered on Bashful cardstock.

I used the Grey Gems to embellish a few of the cards.

For the card I am mailing to a friend, I used a layer of Bashful under the three panels of White Daisy I created.

The "A Beautiful Friendship" sentiment came from the "Beautiful Friendship- Scrapbooking" stamp set. 

Each panel was distressed with Pewter ink.

I will start working on my second batch in just a few minutes. 

As I create batches over the next few weeks, I will post them here on the blog to share them with you.

As always if you have any questions at all please let me know.

Lovely Layers-CTMH Technique Blog Hop

One of my favorite color combinations has always been a soft pink and navy. 
So I was absolutely thrilled when Close to my Heart released the 
Beautiful Friendship Collection. 
It has a gorgeous blend of pinks, blues and even floral patterns. 
While, we don't always see Sapphire flowers in nature, they are stunning in this new patterned paper pack. 

I chose this collection to highlight the "Lovely Layers" technique for this month's Blog Hop. 

Not only did I use one of our newest stamp sets to layer my flowers on my card, I also layered my cardstock as well. 
There are also 9 other Close to my Heart Consultants sharing there amazing artwork with you, so please be sure to make your way around the entire Blog Hop. 
You are going to love what you see!

If you are coming from Darlys's Blog, you are on the right track. 
Should you get lost along the way, all participant's links can be found here. 

Before I share my newest card with you, I wanted to highlight the 
Beautiful Friendship Collection. 
There are several components to the collection including the 
Scrapbooking Kit, Card making Kit, Embellishments and more. 

Beautiful Friendship Paper Packet

12 – 12" × 12" sheets (2 each of 6 double-sided designs)

Featured colors: Bashful, Canary, Heather, Linen, Sapphire, Smoothie, White Daisy

For this card I started out with a 4 1/4 x 5 1/2 Sapphire cardstock card base. 

The Sapphire cardstock is available in individual packs or with several coordinating colors. 

I used a layer of Kraft cardstock. 

Then a layer of the smaller flowers from the Beautiful Friendship paper packet. 

The little horizontal band across the card, is a layer of Kraft and the polka dot smoothie colored paper from the packet.

The circles are layers of Kraft, patterned paper and White Daisy for the sentiment space. 

The little strip of cardstock is Bashful.

The sentiment "Simply Beautiful" actually came from an existing stamp set "A New Adventure".

Which if you recall, I used on a cute space themed card in a previous post.

I stamped the sentiment in Sapphire Ink.

I used the layering flowers and leaves stamps from the "Beautiful Friendship" Scrapbooking Stamp Set.

The shading of the flowers was stamped in Bashful Ink. 

The detailing was stamped in Smoothie ink. 

I hand cut the flowers and leaves out and popped them up on 3-D Foam Tape.

I then also brush each flower with the Clear Shimmer Brush. 

The shimmer is more noticeable in person.

The leaves were stamped with Sweet Leaf, and for those with the stems showing, they were stamped off, then the stems stamped with full ink.

The inside of the card has a layer of both Kraft and Bashful cardstocks.

Finally, I added just a few little pink dot embellishments from the Documented Dots pack.

Thank you so much for stopping by, before heading over to Melissa's Blog, please consider leaving a comment and enjoy the rest of the creative talents in this month's Blog Hop! 

Stargazer Birthday Card

As a child, one of my favorite hobbies was looking at the stars at night through the telescope I received one Christmas. 

While I did not turn out to become an astronomer, I did become a scientist, and often do have conversations about space, stars, and the like. 

I'm not sure whatever happened to that telescope, maybe one of my younger brothers has it. 

As an adult I have visited the local planetariums quite a few times. 

I might just purchase a telescope as an early birthday present to myself. 

Therefore tonight's card was inspired by my Stargazer hobby. 

I used one of my favorite techniques "Blacked Out", utilizing layers of black cardstock under most of the patterned paper layers. 

The card base is Pewter Cardstock by Close to my Heart. 

The yellow, grey, and blue patterned papers are all from the "Stargazer" Patterned Paper Packet by Close to my Heart. If you love this paper, do not wait to purchase it, it is while supplies last, since the Seasonal Expressions Catalog 1 is finished.

The distressing on the grey strip and blue mat was completed with "Charcoal" ink by Close to my Heart. 

The sentiment and the telescope are both from the Cardmaking "Stargazer" Stamp Set. It does also have a matching thin cuts die set, but for today's card, I did not use the dies. 

I colored the telescope with Copic Markers, then used a Gold Shimmer Brush to give it some shine and sparkle. 

I finished off the look with a few red "Stargazer" Dots also by Close to my Heart.

Were you aware that I have a VIP Group on Facebook so that we can share our artwork with each other? 
I would love to have you join us! Just click here to join us!

I entered this card into the following challenges:

Pile It On! Challenge Blog - #142 Sports/Hobbies

Creates and Makes Challenge Blog - #21 Anything Goes 

Not Just Cards Challenge Blog- April Challenge Anything Goes 

Crafting From The Heart - #204 Anything Goes 

Simply Papercraft - #57 Anything Goes 

Crafty Catz Weekly Challenge Blog- #415 Anything Goes 

Jo's Scrap Shack - Fun-Day Friday Challenge #232 Anything Goes 

Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge Blog- May 2018 Patterned Paper

Cardz TV- #46 Anything Goes 

Scrapbooking Birthday Layout From A Workshops Your Way Cardmaking Kit

As most of you that follow my blog know, I am an avid scrapbooker, I have been for over 20 years. As soon as I saw the new Beautiful Friendship Collection from Close to my Heart, I knew I had to have it. 

There are several pieces to the Collection, to include a Scrapbooking Kit and a Cardmaking Kit.

I may not always purchase every stamp set as a consultant, but I do usually take advantage of the Cardmaking kits, and here is why:

-You get an exclusive stamp set that only comes in that kit
-You get several sheets of paper and cardstock that coordinate really well
-You get really cute embellishments that are not always sold seperately
-Right now, all of our Seasonal Expressions 2 kits, are under $20! That is an awesome deal.

The great thing about them is that you do not always have to make cards! That's right, yesterday I attended an awesome National Scrapbooking Day crop with a local Close to my Heart Director. I did make a few cards, but really spent most of my day creating Scrapbooking layouts. 

I will share one of those in this post, and then the another in a second post. 

I ended up using the some of the same photos in each layout to show you how well they both worked. 

The photos will probably end up staying with this first layout. 

The 12 x 12 cardstock used is Bashful, using the darker shade. 

The patterned paper, Bashful cardstock, and Linen cardstock are all sheets from the Workshops Your Way Festive Birthday Cardmaking Kit. 

I also added black cardstock. 

I used Sapphire ink to stamp the sentiment for the layout title. 

I used a little Charcoal ink to distress and age the Linen cardstock on the layout title. 

The second Linen box that is blank will house my journaling once I mount all of the photos permanently. 

And finally I added a few of the ink dots from the Documented Dots embellishment pack. 

I hope you enjoyed my layout, and stayed tuned for the post of the second one. 

Major Clearance Items Just Added!

Run, don't wait, and check out our newly added clearance items on my Close to my Heart website! So many items under $3. Everything from die cut sets with stamps as low as $5 to embellishments for less than $2. You do not want to miss this!

Here are a few screen shots of items currently available until they sell out!

And don't forget when you spend $50 or more, you can get the "Stamp Of The Month" for only $5! So make sure you add that onto your order as well!

Isn't it adorable?

Perfect for your summer invites, cards and scrapbooking layouts! 

Where are all of those Lemonade stand photos you have? This would be awesome for those!

Here is a quick video, to show you all the great options right now!

Quick Birthday Card...

So this is my Birthday month, I will be reaching "Level 40", so this month, my goal is to make as many birthday cards as I can, to use throughout the rest of the year. 

So tonight, I made the following card. 

All products are from Close to my Heart. 

I stamped the two sized flowers from the "For you Darling" stamp set. 

The two sized flowers are stamped in Canary and Tangerine Ink.

I lined the edge of each panel with Canary Cardstock. 

I mounted the finished panel on the White Daisy card base with 3-d foam tape. 

The sentiment is from the "Birthday Sparkles" stamp set. 

The sentiment is stamped in Tangerine Ink. 

To add a little extra flare to the sentiment, I used a few yellow "Stargazer" dots.