Sensational Season (March SOTM Blog Hop)

Welcome to our Stamp of the Month Blog Hop which features the Sensational Season stamp set from Close To My Heart.  Who can resist the adorable bunnies available in this stamp set, just perfect for Easter, or can be used for other occasions too. 

If you have come here from Jen's 'Roxybonds' Scrappin' blog, you are on the right path! With over 50 Close To My Heart Consultants sharing their creations using this month's SOTM and other great CTMH products on their blogs, you should be able to find lots of great creative ideas to use for your own projects.  Blog Hopping is simple to do - just click on the link at the end of the post on each blog to move to the next one!

These little bunnies from the Sensational Season stamp set are so adorable, and I wanted to use them in a 'non Easter' way.  After stamping the image using Cocoa ink, colored pencils were used to add a bit of color to the carrots, clothing, and ears.  This is a standard size (4 1/4" x 5 1/2") card, and the paper is from the Miracle packet.  The words are embossed using Cocoa embossing powder and are from A Little Everything stamp set.  This great sentiment set was a stamp-of-the-month last year, and is now available as a regular item in the Spring/Summer Idea Book.  

Now "Hop" on over to Sarita's 'Blessed Scrapper' blog to see her work!  Be sure to visit all the Consultants at their blogs to get some great crafting ideas and other fun ideas!  Remember, the Sensational Season stamp set is only available until the end of March.  You can earn this stamp set for at a great discount, or even FREE by placing an order.

If you get lost on the Blog Hop or find links that aren't working, there is a complete list of all participating blogs on Helen's 'Hooked on Stamping' blog.

Gift Card Holders (class from Creative University)

For the Card Boutique at Creative University, I designed three gift card holders and all the CU students really enjoyed learning the 'mechanics' of each card.  Now is your opportunity to create your own by attending the special "Post-CU Gift Card Holder" class on March 9 or 10.  You can click on any of the photos for a larger view.

The wonderful old-fashioned bicycle from Enjoy Life stamp set is used for this gift card holder made using papers from the Lucky kit.  Inside the card are two coin envelopes, which are the perfect size to hold a standard store gift card.  The second envelope holds a small sentiment where you can also add a personal message.

A simple 3"x4" card using the Paper Lantern stamp set and Sophia papers has an interior slot to insert a gift card.  Or make the slot just a bit narrower, fold up a $1 bill (or $20 or $50) and insert into the slot.

For the third gift card holder, papers from the Sweetheart kit are used with the Dreams Come True stamp set.  It is a bit difficult to see in the photo, but there is a slot with a thumb notch to hold a gift card.

The "Post-CU Gift Card Holder" Workshop will be offered on Wednesday evening, March 9 and also on Thursday evening, March 10.  The workshops will begin at 6:30 and you should be able to complete the cards by 8:30 or 9:00.  Since these items are a bit more complicated than the cards you normally create at a card workshop, you will make just one of each design.  The workshop fee is $10, and you only need to bring your favorite adhesive.  All other supplies are provided with the workshop fee.  All stamps and papers used are from Close To My Heart (CTMH).

As an added bonus, place a $50+ order from the Close To My Heart  Spring/Summer Idea Book - and your workshop fee is waived. 

Please let me know if you would like to attend the Gift Card Workshop this month.  Feel free to leave me a comment on this blog, send an email to sheilabennett@comcast.net, or call 913-485-4355.

Creative University - A Fun Filled Weekend

Spent last weekend on the shores of beautiful Lake Coeur d'Alene in Idaho attending the fourth annual Creative University.  The Fabulously Artsy Tresa always plans a wonderful weekend, full of fun and creative classes.  Our meals are all prepared for us, we have plenty of table space for stamping and creating, as well as a cozy sitting area around a fireplace to knit and visit with friends.

 This is our "silly" group photo, with almost 60 ladies who attended this year's CU.

My "roomies" posing in the CU Photo Booth.

And a glimpse at some of the fabulous projects we created during the classes.   

For the Card Boutique, I designed three gift card holders (on left side of photo) for all CU attendees to create.  And if you live in the Olathe area, you will be able to attend a special post-Creative U class to create your own gift card holders.  Classes will be held on Wednesday, March 9 and Thursday, March 10.  More details will be posted soon. 

And a fun photo flying over the mountains in Washington.

"Thinking of Spring" - card workshop

To introduce some of the fabulous new stamps and paper packets that will be available in the CTMH Spring/Summer Idea Book, I will be hosting a "Thinking of Spring" card workshop on February 11 and 12.   Even though there is a lot of snow on the ground right now, you can escape the winter chill and create some fun cards for upcoming birthdays.

This year, Close To My Heart is changing to a bi-annual Idea Book release,.  The new Spring/Summer Idea Book will be available from February 1 through July 31, and includes some fabulous new stamp sets and eight new paper packets.  Attend the card workshop this month, and you can take home your own copy of the Idea Book, along with 12 cards handmade by you.      

A wonderful old-fashioned bicycle from the Enjoy Life stamp set is used along with a sentiment from the Card Chatter-Birthday set and papers from the Lucky My Reflections kit.  The card base is made using a new Kraft cardstock, which has a nice 'rustic' feel. 

One of my favorite new paper packets is Mayberry.  It has such a bright, springtime feel and is used with A Posy and Card Chatter-Birthday stamp sets to create this card.  Inside the card, the sentiment is complete with "I'm just extending the Celebration!"   

After featuring this card in the New Product Blog Hop, I thought it would be a great workshop card.  Features a dancer and sentiment from the beautiful Aspire stamp set along with gorgeous Sweetheart papers. 

           

The "Thinking of Spring" Card Workshop will be offered on Friday evening, February 11 (starting at 7 pm), and also on  Saturday afternoon, February 12 (starting at 1 pm).  You will create four of each of the three projects (total 12 cards) for a workshop fee of $10.  Allow approximately two to three hours to complete your projects.  Please be sure to bring your favorite adhesive.  All other supplies are provided with the workshop fee.  All stamps and papers used are from Close To My Heart (CTMH).

As an added bonus, place a $50+ order from the Close To My Heart  Spring/Summer Idea Book - and your workshop fee is waived.  Depending on total orders received, there will be a drawing for Hostess Rewards - so you could earn $25 or more in FREE product from CTMH.

Please let me know if you would like to attend the Card Workshop this month.  Feel free to leave me a comment on this blog, send an email to sheilabennett@comcast.net, or call 913-485-4355.