Cross-Stitch Wishes (January SOTM Blog Hop)

Welcome to our Stamp of the Month Blog Hop which features the Cross-Stitch Wishes stamp set from Close To My Heart.  This stamp set contains 13 adorable images with the look of cross-stitch embroidery.  

If you have come here from Jill's Scrap Wench blog, you are on the right path!  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!  

In my younger days (before children), I created quite a few cross-stitch projects.  And this stamp set reminds me of those stitching days.  For this card, a piece of patterned paper from the ProPlayer kit is used along with Ruby, Chocolate, and Champagne cardstock.  A sentiment from Cross-Stitch Wishes has some Chocolate woodgrain Washi Tape behind it to add to the rustic feel.  Using Pattern #24 in Make It From Your Heart Volume 2 was a nice start to creating a quick card. 

To complete the inside of the card, a strip of Washi Tape was used along with a small heart from Cross-Stitch Wishes. 

Since this stamp set features the art of hand stitching, I decided to share my favorite cross-stitch piece which I created in 1988.  (Fortunately, I stitched my name and the year in the corner.)  It has been hanging on the wall since then, and people assume it is a photo or an actual Monopoly game board until they get a closer look. 

Place a $50 minimum order this month (December 2013) and you are eligible to purchase the Cross-Stitch Wishes stamp set for only $5.  

Now "Hop" on over to Wanda's 'Creating With Inks, Paper, Stamps and Bling!!!' 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.  

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

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

Sparkle & Shine Birthday!

Since all of our Christmas cards have been sent out, now my focus is to create birthday cards for the upcoming year.    

This week's card actually combines three challenges again.  In honor of Christmas week, Color Dare #74 on the Color My Heart blog is to use Ruby and Juniper.  On the Heart 2 Heart Challenges blog, the challenge is to use paper from the Sparkle & Shine kit and add some extra 'sparkle' to the project.  Since Ruby and Juniper are colors in the Sparkle & Shine paper, it was easy to combine these two challenges and create a card using CAS(E) this Sketch #58.  

Normally, the colors are thought to represent Christmas, but I chose to create a nice birthday card instead.  The base of the card is Juniper cardstock and the fun dotted paper from Sparkle & Shine is added to the card front.  A pretty sentiment from the Card Chatter-Birthday set was stamped using Juniper ink and matted with a piece of Juniper cardstock.  Some Red Shimmer Trim, Red Glitter Gems, and decorative metal pieces add a bit of extra sparkle.  

A strip of Juniper Washi Tape was added to the inside of the card to give it a completed look. 

 

My card was selected as the Color Dare Emerald winner!

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

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

Freshly Made Birthday

For the last Freshly Made Sketch of the year, I created a birthday card which can be used for any one and any age.  So many times it feels as though a card is too feminine to send to a man, so it is good to create more generic ones.  

This week's sketch on the Freshly Made Sketches blog (FMS117) is a nice pattern with a few banners and a simple sentiment.  In honor of Christmas week, Color Dare #74 on the Color My Heart blog is to use Ruby and Juniper.  For the card, Washi Tape in Ruby and in Juniper was adhered to White Daisy cardstock and the ends trimmed to form banners.  This were placed on the card front and a scrap of black ribbon was used to connect the tops of the banners.  A simple sentiment from the Holiday Tags stamp set completes the sketch.  

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

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

Homemade Kahlua

Homemade Kahlua in fancy colored bottles!  

A couple of years ago, my sister-in-law gave us a bottle of Kahlua that she had made.  It was delicious, and I finally asked her for the recipe.  It is surprisingly easy to make, and the pretty glass bottles were on sale for 50% off this week at Hobby Lobby.  The Art Philosophy cartridge was used to cut some labels from White Daisy cardstock and Glitter Paper, then stamped using the Crafted With Love stamp set and attached to each bottle with some Baker's Twine.  Hope our friends enjoy adding a splash of Kahlua to their coffee or hot cocoa this winter. 

Homemade Kahlua

2 quarts Distilled Water (separated)

2 ounces Folgers instant coffee

6 cups sugar

1 ½ ounces Vanilla (pure, not imitation)

1 fifth (750 ml) Everclear or Vodka

Using two saucepans, add 1 quart of Distilled Water to each and bring to a boil.  In one pan, add Folgers instant coffee and remove from heat.  In other pan, add the sugar until it is completely dissolved and the mixture is slightly thickened.  Remove from heat.  Allow both liquids to cool to room temperature, then pour into a gallon pitcher along with the Vanilla and Everclear/Vodka.  Bottle and enjoy ~ does not need refrigeration. 

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

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

Time to Sparkle & Shine ... with a Mustache

On the Heart 2 Heart Challenges blog this week, the challenge requires SHINE!  To play along, I had to use the new Sparkle & Shine paper pack colors AND add some sparkle to my project. 

This card certainly has a lot of shine and sparkle by combining the use of Glitter Paper with a diagonal stripe paper from the Sparkle & Shine paper pack.  The tree is 'built' using mustache shapes cut from green Glitter Paper using the Artiste cartridge for the Cricut machine.  The largest mustache is cut at 1" high, and then each mustache after that is 1/10" less than the previous.  Mustache/branch pieces were then layered to form a Christmas tree.  Even the tree trunk is a brown Glitter Paper.  The star shape is cut from silver Glitter Paper and a darker silver Glitter Paper is used for the background of the card base and also as a border around the sentiment frame.  'Merry Christmas' and the frame are both included in the Holiday Tags stamp set.

For simple finishing on the inside of the card, a strip of metallic silver Washi Tape was added near the bottom. 

If you would like to "play along" and share your Sparkle & Shine + more Sparkle creation with the Heart 2 Heart Challenge Blog, post it before December 31 and then visit their blog to share your entry with other participants by linking your project to their post with the InLinkz tool.        

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

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