Limited Edition (September SOTM Blog Hop)

Welcome to our Stamp of the Month Blog Hop which features the Limited Edition stamp set from Close To My Heart.  This stamp set is perfect for making tags, or documenting your scrapbook pages.  The tag shapes in the stamp set can also be cut using the Cricut-Art Philosophy cartridge. 

If you have come here from 'Carla Creates' blog, you are on the right path! There are over 60 Close To My Heart Consultants sharing their creations using this month's SOTM on their blogs.  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!

For this simple project, I chose to create a gift bag using the Art Philosophy cartridge for the Cricut and a nice striped paper from the Mischief packet.  Once the box was cut, then the curved-side square was cut using Grey Flannel cardstock and the 'congratulations' stamp from the Limited Edition SOTM set was stamped using Sunset ink.  Next, a frame for the curved-side square was cut using coordinating Sunset cardstock.  A button with some ribbons was added to the front, and a gift card wrapped in tissue paper slipped inside to complete the gift. .
 

Now "Hop" on over to the 'Scrapi Traci' blog to see her work!  Be sure to visit all the Consultants at their blogs to get some great crafting inspiration and other fun ideas!  Remember, the Limited Edition stamp set is only available during the month of September.  The regular price is $17.95, or you can purchase it for only $5 with a minimum order of $50 in other CTMH products.

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.

Delightfully Wicked

Wanted to share a couple more cards using the delightful Wicked stamp set, which is the stamp-of-the-month from Close To My Heart.  This stamp set has a fabulous witch, broomstick, scary cat, and witch's hat, along with some great sentiments. 

For a non-Halloween look, this card shows only the legs of the witch along with the "best foot forward" sentiment and the Dreamin' paper packet.  Both the double-edged scallop piece and the fancy frame for the sentiment are cut using the Cricut cartridge from the Art Philosophy collection.   A little 'sparkle' was added to the shoes using Glitz Glitter Gel.

To create the pumpkin for this fun Halloween card, three ovals were cut using the Art Philosophy Cricut cartridge and then stamped using the 'honeycomb' image from the Wicked stamp set.  The card is completed using a striped paper from the new Sonoma paper packet, a 'photo corner' cut using the Cricut, and a pumpkin stem which is actually the witch's hat.  This clever idea was 'stamplifted' from the very creative Jen Rubio. 

The Wicked stamp set is only available during the month of August.  The regular price is  $17.95, or you can purchase it for only $5 with a minimum order of $50 in other CTMH products.   

In addition, Close To My Heart is celebrating their newly updated Stamp-of-the-Month program by offering an "Extra! Extra!" bonus stamp set with the purchase of the August SOTM at the discounted $5 price.  A Typeface is a great little alphabet set that is only available this month and is FREE!  It has a retail value of $6.95.  

Mini Card Set - using CTMH Art Philosophy

Finally - if you have been waiting for another workshop, this is a great one to attend. You will create an adorable Mini Card Set and learn how to use the versatile Art Philosophy Cricut® Collection.

This charming Mini Card Set was cut entirely using the new CTMH Art Philosophy cartridge for the Cricut machine.  Even the 3"x3" envelopes were cut using the Cricut, as was the divided box that the cards and envelopes are stored in.  After completing the cards, envelopes, and divided box, the entire thing slides into a perfectly sized clear plastic box.  Tie a ribbon around the box to complete the Mini Card Set.

Included in the card set are four "Thanks" cards on Tulip cardstock, and four "Congratulations" cards on Desert Sand cardstock.  Patterned paper from the new Roxie pack is used along with two of the the stamp sets that are included in the Art Philosophy bundle.   For the "Congratulations" card, you can select the special occasion using a small pearl, Sparkle, or even checkmark using a marker.

Reserve your space early as there are a limited number of spaces available for this workshop the last weekend in August.  With a  workshop fee of only $10, you will have fun creating your own mini card set for your use or to give as a nice gift.

           

The Mini Card Set Workshop will be offered on Friday evening, August 26 (starting at 7 pm), and also on  Saturday afternoon, August 27 (starting at 1 pm).  Allow approximately two hours to complete your project.  Please be sure to bring your favorite adhesive.  All stamps and papers used are from Close To My Heart (CTMH).  Thanks to Lisa Stenz, a very creative independent CTMH Consultant, who shared the idea for this mini card set using the Art Philosophy stamps and Cricut cartridge.  

Please let me know if you would like to attend the Mini Card Set 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.  Or if you and some friends would like to meet at a different day or time, we can schedule another class.

Pair-a-Phrase (National Stamping Month Blog Hop)

Welcome to our Pair-a-Phrase Blog Hop.  To celebrate "National Stamping Month" in September, Close To My Heart is offering a free DOUBLE stamp set with a purchase of $75 or more.  This very special Pair-a-Phrase stamp set actually includes two sheets of stamps in a single stamp envelope and has a retail value of $35.90.   The set includes lots of clever phrases and coordinating images that can be used for handmade cards all year, for many different occasions, or even no special occasion at all.  And the celebration starts on August 15, so you can take advantage of this "National Stamping Month" special now. 

If you have come here from Pamela's 'Reflections of my aRt & sOuL' blog, you are on the right path! With over 40 Close To My Heart Consultants sharing their creations using this special double stamp set and other brand-new CTMH products on their blogs, you should be able to find lots of great creative ideas to use for your own projects.  CTMH released their new Autumn/Winter Idea Book on August 1, and there are fabulous new papers, stamps, and other products.  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!

Even though the Wonderland paper packet is designed for use with winter and snow pictures, it is used here with the cute bicycle from the Pair-a-Phrase double stamp set.  Markers were used to add color to the bike and the flowers.
 

Now "Hop" on over to Jean's 'Stampin' Maui' blog to see her work!  Be sure to visit all the Consultants at their blogs to get some great crafting inspiration and other fun ideas!  The Pair-a-Phrase stamp set is only available from August 15 until the end of September.  The retail value is $35.90, and it is yours for FREE with a $75 minimum order of CTMH products.

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.

Cupcake, Sweet Cupcake

One of my favorite shapes on the new Art Philosophy Cricut® Collection cartridge is the cupcake.  There is even a coordinating cupcake stamp with the Celebration stamp set that is included with the collection.  One of my display boards for Extravaganza featured artwork using the <cupcake> button for cutting, and these are some of the cards.  Of course, every cupcake is topped with a "cherry on top" shiny Sparkle.

This cupcake card was cut from Smoothie cardstock using the Cricut-Art Philosophy cartridge.  A slightly smaller cupcake was cut using Cocoa cardstock and layered inside the front of the card to create a 'frame' for the cupcake window.  Inside of the card has the cupcake stamped image.  The card is then completed with a Sparkle on top, some ribbon, and an embossed 'Happy Birthday' sentiment. 

No stamping on this card, everything is cut with the Art Philosophy cartridge using the new Elemental paper packet.   

With Elemental papers, used the 'Tag' feature of the cartridge along with the 'Font' (for the flowers) and 'Font Layer' (for the border) to create these two birthday tags.  Again, the coordinating cupcake stamp that is included in the Art Philosophy Collection was also used. 

For this cupcake card, papers from the Roxie paper packet were used on the inside of the card to cover the 'window' and decorate the cupcake.

 

Art Philosophy - all 700 images!

Here they are - all 700 images that can be cut using the new Art Philosophy Cricut® Collection. Each page shows all 100 cuts that are available using that specific 'Feature' button on the Cricut machine.  The images shown in gray are selected by using the 'Shift' button.   Simply click on any image to enlarge it so you can see more detail.

Base images, no 'Feature' button

Layer 'Feature'

Decorative Layer 'Feature'

Tag 'Feature'

Card 'Feature'

Font 'Feature'

Font Layer 'Feature'

Two Quick Cards - with the Cricut

August 1st - such a great day.  It is the day that Close To My Heart is releasing their Autumn/Winter Idea Book with lots of fabulous new products!

This card was created using the new Cricut-Art Philosophy cartridge along with a great striped paper from the new Believe paper packet and a sentiment from the A Timber stamp set.  First, a 3"x3" card was cut from White Daisy cardstock.  The Art Philosophy cartridge automatically rounds the corners of the card, and indicates the fold line.  Next, the frame with the ornament was cut using Sky cardstock and the sentiment was stamped on the ornament using Holiday Red ink.  Simply layer a piece of the striped paper to the front of the card, add the frame, then add a small knot of ribbon along with a Sparkle to top off the ornament.  Very quick and easy, and also a cute card.

Another card which uses the same striped paper.  You can see that the backside of this paper is actually a nice plaid pattern.  Using the 'Card' feature of the Art Philosophy cartridge with the button, the card was cut with the ornament being a cut-out window in the front of the card.  Another was cut slightly smaller using Sky cardstock and layered on the inside front to form a small mat around the edge of the cut-out ornament.  There is also a rectangle of White Daisy cardstock on the inside left of the card with a sentiment and space for a personal note.  A white ribbon was added and the card mounted on a rectangle of Sky cardstock.

In order to see even more fabulous creations using new products available in the Autumn/Winter Idea Book, visit the Blog Hop/Linky Party on Tresa's Fabulously Artsy blog.   Click on a thumbnail to visit a blog participating in the 'Linky Party.'