Floral Happiness (March SOTM Blog Hop)

Welcome to our Stamp of the Month Blog Hop which features the Floral Happiness stamp set from Close To My Heart.   This set has 2-step images which line up with each other for a solid image with a line image to add details.  CTMH My Acrylix stamps are perfect to use with 2-step stamps because you can clearly see through the block and stamp to perfectly align the stamped images.   

If you have come here from Lucy's 'Love 2 Create' blog, you are on the right path!  With over 50 very creative Close To My Heart Consultants sharing their projects, you will see many different uses for this stamp set.  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 card, the Floral Happiness stamp set is used with a patterned paper from the Surf's Up kit.  Even though the Surf's Up paper is designed to be used with pictures taken at the beach, remember to think "outside the box" when looking at the papers for other uses.  The linen look of the gold textured paper makes a nice background for the flower stamp.  The inside of the card is completed with the 'having you as a friend' sentiment in the Floral Happiness set.

Now "Hop" on over to Judy's 'Making Time for Memories' 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 Floral Happiness stamp set is only available during the month of March 2013.  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.

All papers and stamps are from Close To My Heart (CTMH).

	Sheila Bennett Close To My Heart Independent Consultant (913) 485-4355

40 Colors of Flowers

Another card which I created for Creative University to show different ways to use embossing with your creative projects.     

A fairly simple card to create.  The 'Happy Birthday' sentiment is from the 4 My Friend set and is embossed using Cotton Candy Pigment ink and Clear Detail Embossing Powder.  Some beautiful patterned papers from the Chantilly kit create a very feminine background.  

The other embossing on the card is not so obvious.  The two colored flowers that you see are actually clear acrylic flowers included in the Claire Assortment to coordinate with the Claire paper packet.  To add color to the flowers, simply press a color of Pigment ink directly onto the flower and then emboss using the Clear Detail Embossing Powder.  Magically, you have a colored flower.  The best part is that all 40 Exclusive Colors from CTMH are available as Pigment ink, so you can create flowers in 40 different colors.  The Pigment inks are sold as 1"x1" mini pads - 10 colors to a set for only $19.95.

If you have not received your copy of the Spring/Summer Idea Book & Catalog, please contact me via phone at 913-485-4355 or email at sheilabennett@comcast.net.

All papers and stamps are from Close To My Heart (CTMH).

	Sheila Bennett Close To My Heart Independent Consultant (913) 485-4355

Greetings Earthling!

For the sixth straight year, I was fortunate enough to attend Creative University.  

The weekend is always very special to me as I rekindle old friendships and create new ones.  All the ladies who attend feel like one big family by the end of the weekend.  It is a weekend full of creativity, and it replenishes my soul.   

Tresa (the Fabulously Artsy Stamp Goddess) does a fantastic job of organizing the event each year and asked me to create a display board of samples featuring different ways to use embossing on projects.  So, I have decided to share them with you over the next few days. 

For this very fun card, I used the robot and planet from the Outta This World stamp set.  The images in the set are really cute, but the best part is that they can all be cut using the Artiste cartridge with the Cricut machine.  Simply cut the images on White Daisy cardstock using the Cricut and then stamp directly onto the pre-cut shape because the stamp is perfectly coordinated and sized with the shape.  The textured background is made by inking the chevron stripe image from In The Background set with Black Pigment ink and embossing with Clear Detail Embossing Powder.  The result is a nice black-on-black texture with a bit of a sheen.  After stamping the planet on the image cut using the Artiste cartridge, the "Greetings Earthling" sentiment was stamped using Twilight Pigment and embossed with the Clear Detail Embossing Powder.  In order to mimic the chevron embossed on the cardstock, the Art Philosophy cartridge was used to cut a piece of the patterned paper from the Later Sk8r kit.

If you have not received your copy of the Spring/Summer Idea Book & Catalog, please contact me via phone at 913-485-4355 or email at sheilabennett@comcast.net.

All papers and stamps are from Close To My Heart (CTMH).

	Sheila Bennett Close To My Heart Independent Consultant (913) 485-4355

Cozy Cat (Spring/Summer New Product Blog Hop)

It is a very special time of year - time for the release of the Spring/Summer edition of the Close To My Heart Idea Book & Catalog.  Items shown in this new Idea Book can be ordered February 1 through July 31, 2013.

If you have come here from 'Gina's Little Corner of Stampin Heaven' blog, you are on the right path! Hope you enjoy your adventure through the Spring/Summer New Product Blog Hop where you will see many fun new stamps, papers, and some fabulous new embellishments.  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!

Since we share our home with three cats, this was one of the very first of the new stamp sets that I had to buy.  Cozy Cat has an adorable cat resting on a cushion along with three different "catty" sentiments to use.  And the stamp set is only $6.95!

For this card, the cat image was stamped using Cocoa pigment ink with some Clear Detail Embossing Powder.  When heated, this image is slightly raised and has a nice shine.  To color the cushion, I used the set of Creme Brulee alcohol-based markers.  For the color of the cat, some cotton swabs were used to pick up ink from the Slate and Whisper ink pads.  To add just a touch of bling, a Bitty Sparkle is hanging from the collar.

A colorful stripe from the vintage-inspired Buzz and Bumble paper packet is used for the background.  Another of my favorite new products is the Slate Polka-Dot Washi Tape.  On this card, a piece of the Washi Tape was placed on a thin piece of Whisper card stock which was cut just slightly wider than the tape.

The pigment inks are available in all 40 CTMH exclusive colors.  Pigment inks are ideal to be used for non-paper, home decor projects as the ink stays "on top" of the item rather than soaking in like dye inks do.  The ink is slower to dry, and that is why they are also wonderful to use with clear embossing powder on card stock.  It gives a very nice, finished look, is available in all 40 colors, and is not nearly as thick or as messy as colored embossing powders.

Now "Hop" on over to Misty's 'Creative Minds Are Rarely Tidy' 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 from this new Idea Book!  

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.

All papers and stamps are from Close To My Heart (CTMH).

	Sheila Bennett Close To My Heart Independent Consultant (913) 485-4355