Jan 2013 Stamp of the Month BLOG Hop!

Welcome to our

Stamp of the Month Blog Hop!

This month we will be featuring Close To My Heart January 2013 SOTM, which is called “Happy Valentine’s Day” a set of 7 BEAUTIFUL stamps, that will be wonderful to use for ANY floral creations you’d like to create! J

Take a look at this stamp set!!

If you have come here from Jen Patrick’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.

This month we have 49 Close To My Heart Consultants sharing their creations using this month's SOTM!!

This Blog Hop is simple to do…just CLICK on the link at the end of the post on each blog and move along to the next one!!! 

Have FUN and happy hopping!!!

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Here are a two cards that I created.  I was going for simple, but elegant…and I hoped I achieved that!

The first card…

I used a 5x7 Black cardstock base and used our FABULOUS white-pigment ink to stamp the flower shape designs for the background of this card!!

I used the Art Philosophy Cricut Collection to cut my ovals, and stamped the sentiment with the white daisy pigment ink too!  By using my corner rounder on the silver shimmer trim…I created my own glitter, scalloped border!!!  I added 2 dots of silver glitz glitter gel for the finishing touch on the sides of the ovals. 

The second card…

Again, I wanted to go simple…so I used white daisy & black cardstock. 

I stamped the rose images using our archival black ink – a WONDERFUL ink to use when shading in with color!!!  I highlighted the flowers with 2 of our alcohol markers…light cotton candy and light olive. It was fun to think about the many DIFFERENT colored markers you could use to create this card! 

Finish off the card with black tulle, and ta-da…the card is complete.  Take away the Valentine's sentiment, and I believe I will be using this for some upcoming weddings we will be attending. :) 

Next stop is to my dear friend Gina Brandstetter’s BLOG!!! Make sure to check out what BEAUTIFUL items she has made with this stamp set!! J

Be sure to visit ALL the Consultants at their Blogs…and feel free to leave comments as you go through the Hop! We all enjoy reading your comments about each piece of artwork!

This stamp set “Happy Valentine’s Day”

is ONLY available from

January 1-31st

…so contact your CTMH Consultant (or feel free to shop with me at my website J) to see how YOU can get this EXCLUSIVE stamp set for an AMAZING discount!!

Happy Creating,

Krista J

Valentine’s Day card with Whoo’s Your Valentine kit…

I have another card to share from the ADORABLE stamp set included in the “Whoo’s Your Valentine?” promotional kit!! 

Take a look at the stamp set…

Do you SEE the POSSIBILITIES? Love – LOVE!!! J

I believe this card is my favorite one out of the four different ones I made…

By adding some Whisper Cardstock to the cardstock that is already apart of this kit, it brought a nice, soft tone to this card design.

I used the Cricut Artiste Collection to cut out the heart bracket shape at the bottom to heat emboss “Happy Valentine’s Day”.  I also sponged the edges in Hollyhock ink to make it “stand out” a bit more. 

I used the “famous” silver shimmer trim…our self-adhesive ribbon that I use VERY often! LOL!!!

Tracing the top heart with Silver Glitz Glitter Gel, finished off the card. J

What is all INCLUDED in the Whoo’s Your Valentine kit?

Items included in the kit:
• 12 — Die-Cut Boxes (3 each of 4 colors: Blush, Hollyhock, Ruby, White Daisy)
• 3 — 12" x 12" Cardstock Sheets (Blush, Hollyhock, White Daisy)
• 1 — Sheet Silver Glitter Paper—new product for Spring/Summer 2013!
• 12 — Treat Tubes with Lids—new product for Spring/Summer 2013!
• 1 —My Acrylix® Whooo’s Your Valentine Stamp Set (D-size)

You are eligible to receive this kit for ONLY $10 (retail value of $40) when you spend $35 in Close to My Heart product from the Fall/Winter Idea Book!!!

Also, check out the details below for the FIVE SPECIAL DEALS you will receive when you place your order on my WEBSITE during the month of December!!!!

1. The "Whoo's Your Valentine?" promo special!!
Purchase $35 in Close To My Heart products and get this kit for $10!!!
(this can be ordered through my website or through me personally.  Email/call/text me and I can get this ordered for you!)
Make sure to come back to my BLOG in the next couple days as I share more items I created with this set!!



2. Place a $50 online order (prior to shipping & tax) get a FREE
glue pen "thrown" into your order!!!J



3. December Stamp of the Month!! - with a $50

order you are eligible to receive the December SOTM for ONLY $5.00



Click HERE to see artwork created with this stamp set!!

 

4.CLICK on the JOIN button when you place an order on

my website , to join my "DECEMBER SALES" party.

What does this mean???

With every $20 in subtotal sales (prior to shipping & tax) you

purchase on my website...you will EARN a TICKET into the

Mystery Hostess drawing to WIN FREE CTMH products!!

Winners will be notified the 1st week of January!!!!

 

5. Access to the “While Supplies Last” section of my

website!! If you didn’t hear about the new specials…CLICK HERE to see my special newsletter from last week. Items are disappearing rather quickly!!!

If you have ANY questions – PLEASE contact me!


Just a reminder...Click the "2012 Retiring Items" tab at the top of 
 my blog to order these items that will be leaving us!!  Hurry and get
 them before they are gone!!! 

There are many deals to take advantage of, and I want to

make sure you get the MOST for your purchases!!!

Enjoy the EXTRA specials!!!  They make GREAT gifts this time of year! 

Have a WONDERFUL week!! 
Only 7 more days until Christmas!!! Take a moment and enjoy this season!!!  

Blessings to you!

Krista J

Email: fun2stampnscrap@dejazzd.com

Website: www.kristah.ctmh.com

Blog: www.kristascraftycorner.blogspot.com

Pear & Partridge Christmas Scrapbook Pages

I LOVE Close To My Heart’s

Christmas paper pack this year! 

I am a traditionalist, and enjoy the red, green colors of Christmas…but I also was quite DELIGHTED at how CTMH brought neutral tones into this paper pack as well! 

I was excited to create items using the Pear & Partridge paper pack and here are two items I created!!

When I host a home gathering, we always complete our evening together by creating a card.  

This is the card we have created at my most recent home gatherings…

I LOVE how this card turned out…but it was SO simple to create!!!

One of my new FAVORITE embellishments is our Silver Shimmer Ribbon – the BEST part…it’s ADHESIVE backed!!!!

If you would like to re-create this card on your own…

here are some more details! J

I used page 65 in the Art Philosophy Cartridge to cut the bracket frames (rctngle 8)

 

I used the page 80 of the Artiste cartridge for the poinsettia flower.

(poinsettia flower sizes listed below)

I also used my go-to idea book – the Make It From Your Heart, vol. 1., pattern #27

  This book is used as my “starting point”…I can create so much FASTER, just by looking at the FUN sketches in this book!!!

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I know not everyone enjoys card making J…so I also create a 2 page layout to show everyone at my parties.

I create the layout by using the card design we made at the party and incorporating that card into scrapbook pages!

I again used the MIFH how-to book and I used pattern #5.

Take a look at these poinsettias on the layout…

After cutting these from the Artiste cartridge, I took my bone folder and scored the center of each flower petal. I then inked the flowers in ruby ink.

How did I create the leaves?

They are the SAME flower shape as the poinsettias!!!!

I tore off 2 green points of my flower, and left 3 “leaves” to add to the bottom of my poinsettia flower!

Sizes I used to CREATE flowers…

Small Poinsettias

1 1/2” ruby cardstock

(2) 1 3/4” ruby cardstock

2” New England Ivy cardstock (leaves)

Large Poinsettias

2” ruby cardstock

2 1/2” ruby cardstock

(2) 2 3/4” ruby cardstock

3 1/4” New England Ivy (leaves)

Stamp sets used…

Love Life

Glory To God

Frame It Up

Christmas Joy

For the finishing touches of the card, I added BROWN & TAN sparkles in the center of my flowers. I also sponged the edges in our new CASHMERE ink.

Now – off to create some more with this paper pack!!! 

Have a blessed week!

Krista J

***Join my TEAM PRIOR to Dec 13th***

and YOU will RECEIVE TWO EXTRA items for FREE!!!

Choose between the $49 or $99 Consultant Start up kit…

and I WILL personally include a

Dotty for you Paper pack (retail value $19.95)

AND an It’s Your Day stamp set (retail value $35.90)

For FREE!!!

CLICK HERE to learn the MANY ways you can become a part of our Close To My heart FAMILY!!!  We'd LOVE to have you JOIN our fabulous team!!J

SUPER DEALS on my website…

CLICK on the  DECEMBER SALES link to earn FREE gifts!!!

www.kristah.ctmh.com

All orders placed on my website from Dec 1-31 that reach or exceed $50 will also include a FREE Bonding Memories® glue pen (Z553)—a $4.50 value!

Is winter coming? :)

Winter is NOT my favorite season…BUT I do LOVE snowmen!!!





So, when I saw Close To My Heart’s NEW snowman stamp set in the 2012 Fall/Winter Idea Book called  “Flakey Friends”, I knew this stamp set would become one of my new favorites!  Isn’t it CUTE?!?






It is SWAP time again, and that means I have sent off my created pieces, and am “patiently” waiting for my swaps to be returned back to me! LOL!! J

Each time a new Idea Book comes out…I participate in a swap with my team leader Karen Morris.  She coordinates everything, and swaps all of our items!!!

How does it work???  I design 5 different pieces of artwork(12x12 page, and 4 different card designs) using all new paper, ( I chose Avonlea paper) new stamp sets and new embellishments as MUCH as possible!  Then I create 8 of EACH of the 5 items!!!

I send 7 sets that I created, off to Karen (I keep one for myself) and anxiously await the arrival of the package that will contain 7 different sets of swaps…each set will use a NEW paper pack from our 2012 Fall idea book!!!!

Here is a picture of my swaps, all ready to go…

I LOVE being a part of a swap!!! It generates so many ideas AND I get beautiful artwork in return using the 8 new paper packs!!!

Today I would like to share the details of ONE of the cards with you that I created for this swap. 

I chose to use my Friendly Snowmen stamp set, “Flakey Friends”. I also chose to use our GREAT die-cut cards...these colonial white cards are 3 1/2" x 8" and I love the fancy design on the card!  J

I chose to use the Avonlea paper pack…a beautiful, elegant paper!!! I wanted to pull in the color Smokey Plum with the colors and design of this paper pack and was excited with how the card turned out!!!

 Let me share some of the FUN techniques I used in creating this card!!!

Did you notice the designed background on the top of the card?  Can you guess what it is??

Check it out!!!

I was so excited when I discovered that by laying down my Tulle ribbon, I could use my sponge and ink some of my Smokey Plum ink onto the ribbon and get a great design!!!



 I also tried out our new PIGMENT inks!!! 

I learned to really like these inks…they are PERFECT to use when I want to color in an image with our NEW alcohol markers!!

When using the pigment inks, after stamping them…make sure to give them 20-30 minutes to dry OR heat set the image, before you try to color them in.  The ink needs to bind with the paper, and this takes a little bit of time. 



Here are my snowmen, all inked and ready to be colored! J






I used the smokey plum, crème brulle, autumn terracotta (carrot nose) & olive alcohol markers to give “my men” a bit of color.  I am not a great color inner (is that a word? LOL!) but I really like how smooth these new alcohol markers color!!  I think I could get used to and ENJOY coloring in stamped images!!! LOL!!!





One of my FAVORITE new embellishments is the SILVER shimmer trim…do you see it?  Yes, it’s not silver in the picture above…I tried to color my silver trim with my alcohol smokey plum marker!  It worked!!!….kind of? J

Yes, it colored my self adhesive silver shimmer trim ribbon a beautiful plum color – however, my marker didn’t fare too well.  Because of the roughness of the silver shimmer trim, the marker tip now has some fuzzy ends.  Oh well – I will use this marker for only coloring on items….problem solved! J I added our grey wool baker's twine next to the silver ribbon as a finishing touch. 

I hope I have inspired you to get out your crafting items!J 
Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful rest of the week!!!

Blessings to you!
Krista J