Color It! - Heart 2 Heart Challenge

Welcome to this week's Heart 2 Heart Challenge, "Color It!" You can participate in this challenge by creating artwork that aligns with the theme, however you choose to interpret it. Just be sure to incorporate some Close To My Heart products in your creation!

I love using markers to color in stamped images and that's what I did here.

The Escape to Paradise stamp set, shown here, has some fabulous images, two of which I used for this card.

I also incorporated this stamp set, associated with our Craft On product line. It was designed for cards but can totally be used otherwise. Aren't the sentiments adorable?!

Both of these stamp sets will retire at the end of August so be sure to get them if you want them!

I look forward to seeing your artwork on the Heart 2 Heart Blog! Have a blessed week!

Color Your Life: April Stamp of the Month (Blog Hop)

Happy Easter and April 1! Welcome to this month's Stamp of the Month Blog Hop where we are featuring this wonderful stamp set, "Color Your Life". 

This stamp set comes with great sentiments/words that can be used on any type of papercrafting project. In fact, I am excited to make it through this hop and see what wonderful creations were made with it. I know we will be inspired. You can get this stamp set for $5 with a qualifying order. (You can click here for all the details.)

If you are coming from Cat's Blog, you are on the right track. You can find a complete list of participants by clicking here. 

The card was kept relatively simply in order to draw attention to the sentiment. Life is sometimes challenging with all that can be thrown our direction. It's at those times that we should remember to celebrate life and remind ourselves of our many blessings. I hope this card brings a little bit of happy to your life today.

I used patterned paper from our Basic Fundamentals paper pack and accented it with Raspberry cardstock (I love this beautiful and bright color) and White Shimmer Trim. The coordinating ribbon was created by using the Cherry Pink Shin Han Marker on Cream Ribbon. One of my favorite techniques is being able to take some of our white/cream products - ribbon, Dots, etc. - and using the markers to make them any color I choose.

Shin Han Markers were used to color the letters that come with some fun texture inside of each one. The Lagoon accents are leftovers I had from the Make Waves Complements.

Thanks so much for stopping by! Before heading over to Wendy's Blog, consider leaving a comment. I appreciate and enjoy blog love, knowing your thoughts on my artwork.

Have a blessed and wonderful week/month and don't forget to...celebrate life!

It's Die - namite! - Blog Hop

We're excited to highlight some of the Thin Cuts that are on sale this month as part of the Die-namite special from Close To My Heart. You can get Thin Cuts (our version of "dies") for up to 30% off! We have a great selection for you to choose from, two of which I used on my artwork creation.

You can find a list of the sales items, and visuals of them, on the Promotions area of my website. You'll notice some of them have coordinating stamp sets that are perfect for their associated Thin Cuts which means no fussy-cutting for those images! That totally rocks!

If you are coming from Melinda's Blog, you are on the right track. If you were to get lost along the way, you can find a list of participating Consultants here.

I'm super happy with this simple card that resulted from the use of two Thin Cuts - Basic Hearts and Happy. They, plus a simple "birthday", stamped in Black Ink, and three White Dots colored in with the Cherry Pink ShinHan marker. I love that I can alter the colors of the White Dots by coloring them! The pink cardstock used was Raspberry. 

These are the two dies I used, the heart being the largest one on the top right. 

The "birthday" image is from the stamp set that comes with the Slice of Happy Workshops Your Way Cardmaking Kit. 

I can't wait to see what Cat has created to share with you so be sure to hop on over to her blog. I appreciate you stopping by and hope you will leave a comment before moving on. :)

Enjoy the rest of your week!

Heart 2 Heart Challenge: Seasonal Expressions 1 Cover

Welcome to this week's Heart 2 Heart Challenge where we were asked to create something based on inspiration gained from this front cover of our Seasonal Expressions I Idea Book. It contains new product released on January 1, available until the end of April, while supplies last. You can view a digital version by clicking here or can receive a hard copy by placing an order on my website or contact me directly. If you're like me, you like flipping through pages and physically tagging them for ideas to use on future artwork items.

For this challenge artwork, I decided to alter a journal (based on the shared idea by my friend, Katy - thanks, Katy). Altering inexpensive items found many places is one of the things that attracted me to papercrafting with Close To My Heart more than 22 years ago. I love that I can buy something at a great price and then make it my own, which is what I did here.

I picked this book because of the black border that I could avoid in my design. It's also pretty think and has some cute lined paper, in turquoise. This was purchased at Dollar General for $2. Now...to see how I prettied it up!

Using the Gimme Some Sugar paper pack and coordinating cardstock, Peacock (one of my new favorite colors) and Bashful, I created this front cover. Isn't it fun? It makes me super happy and yes, I will be using it! (I've already written in it, in fact.) Fab thing is, when I use up all the paper in this notebook, I can go buy another one and transfer the front cover to it. Ha!

I did add White Glitter Paper - the small banner on the top right, below the gingham Zip Strip, Peacock-stitched Ribbon, and White Dots that I colored with the Tender Pink ShinHan Marker.

And that stamp set...you like it, don't you?! :) It is totally adorable and currently included in the Consultant Kit! This is the first time I have used it and want to use some of the other fun images. Who knows? Maybe you'll get something I make with it. (If you want to consider joining my team, click the link for more information. I am happy to answer any questions you may have.)

Come join us at Heart 2 Heart and link your artwork creation to this themed challenge, or any others in the month of March. Be sure to use at least one Close To My Heart product in your artwork. I look forward to seeing it there!

CTMH Technique Blog Hop - Marker Madness

Welcome to this month's Technique Blog Hop titled, "Marker Mardness", where we are featuring the fun uses of Close To My Heart's ShinHan Markers.

If you are arriving here from Debi's Blog, you are on the right track. Should you get lost along the way, you can find a list of participants at the bottom of this post.

One thing I have worked to improve upon is the shading that is possible with color mediums. I love that the ShinHan Markers make this process easier for me with the use of the Colorless Blender. If you have these markers, this is a must-have. In my observation, it "removes color" providing for that effortless blending that I am definitely in need of.

For coloring in these floral images from the stamp set called, "Tea-rrific", I used various marker shades to obtain the coordinating ink colors of Raspberry and Tangerine. Did you know you can actually layer on different (or the same) shades of ShinHan Markers and get a desired hue?! You can! In fact, Close To My Heart has provided a Marker Color Chart that tells you how to achieve CTMH-associated colors. You can find this FREEBIE through this link. You can also add ink on top of ink to make the shade brighter. 

Blending-challenged like I am? Try the ShinHan Markers that can make you look like a pro (or semi-pro). Contact me if you would like to know how you can get some free!

The repeated floral image was stamped from the March Stamp of the Month. I have highlighted the Tea-rrific stamp set in previous posts. You can view details about it here.

The sentiment came from this exclusive stamp set included in a Caradking Kit called, "Here for You". It comes with supplies to make 12 greeting cards. While I haven't created them yet, I will be doing so very soon! I love the beautiful floral images that can be used for various occasion. I especially appreciate the sentiments as they possess messages that are sometimes difficult for me to convey.

Thank you so much for stopping by! Consider leaving a comment and then head over to Haley's Blog to see what she has to share with you. 

Happy hoppin'!

Participants:

1. Melissa Robinson *YOU ARE HERE*

2. Haley Dyer

3. Darlys Recker

4. Danielle Wagner

5. Michelle Loncar

6. Janna Gray

7. Debi McBain