Blessed Beyond Measure (September SOTM Blog Hop)

Welcome to our Stamp of the Month Blog Hop.  Soon the weather will be changing to Autumn, and the Blessed Beyond Measure stamp set contains all the images you need to show your gratitude for the season.         

If you have come here from Inky Hearts, 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!  

Starting with an embossed wood grain background from the Rustic Home paper pack, this card just makes you think of Thanksgiving and everything in the Autumn season.  The leaf shapes were cut using the Cricut Artbooking cartridge, and they coordinate with the leaf stem images in the Blessed Beyond Measure stamp-of-the-month set.  The leaf stem pieces were embossed using Clear Detail Embossing Powder over the pigment ink which matches each of the colors of cardstock used.  These are Cranberry, and two brand-new colors of Willow and Lemon.  The frame for the sentiment was also cut using the Artbooking cartridge, and then it was embossed using Saddle pigment ink.    

Place a $50 minimum order this month (September 2016) and you are eligible to purchase the Blessed Beyond Measure stamp set for only $5. It is also available for $17.95 without a qualifying purchase.  

Now "Hop" on over to Priscilla's Paperie 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. 

If you get lost along the way, the complete list of participants is available on Melinda's 'If You Bling It' blog.   

All papers and stamps are from Close To My Heart (CTMH).
#ctmh #cardmaking #ctmhRusticHome #gratitude 

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

You Are Fabulous

Heart 2 Heart Challenges has a really fun challenge this month, named COPY THAT.  The idea is to flip through the new CTMH Annual Inspirations book, find some artwork that you like, and then COPY THAT artwork.  

For my piece, I chose to copy the card shown page 46 with the So Many Smiles stamp set.  Instead of using the same colors as the original card, I chose to use the inks for Color My Heart Color Dare #208; Pixie, Thistle, Juniper, Lagoon, and White Daisy.  The card was quick to copy and create, and some Bitty Sparkles add a touch of shine.  

Pleased to say that I won the Emerald badge on the Color My Heart Color Dare #208.   

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

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

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Lovely Leaves ~ Annual Inspirations New Product Blog Hop

Welcome to our Annual Inspirations New Product Blog Hop, brought to you by the same ladies who participate in the monthly Stamp-of-the-Month Blog Hop.  The month of August means a brand-new catalog full of fun new products for your creative projects.  See all the new products at http://sheila.closetomyheart.com.      

If you arrived here from Create With Alyson, you are hopping through our circle of Close To My Heart consultants sharing their projects spotlighting new products featured in the 2016-2017 Annual Inspirations.  

It has been a while since I created a 3"x3" card, but I decided it was the perfect size for images in the Lovely Leaves and Short & Sweet stamp sets.  Using the Short Accent card sketch from Originals Card Confidence Program and papers from the Rustic Home kit, this card is a perfect little "hello" for a friend.  Both the leaf from Lovely Leaves and the sentiment from Short & Sweet were embossed using Gold embossing powder.  A masking technique and a sponge dauber were used to add color to the leaf using Fern, Saffron, and Poppy inks.  To add a bit more gold to the card, some Gold Foil Tape was added. 

Please visit the Crafty Happy blog to continue along our Blog Hop. 

All papers and stamps are from Close To My Heart (CTMH).
#ctmh #cardmaking #ctmhRusticHome  

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

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Handmade Card = Paper Hug

Since the Heart 2 Heart Challenges blog is featuring the Florence paper pack this month, I was inspired to create a card using images from the True Love stamp set.  This is the new Close To My Heart special stamp set to benefit Operation Smile.  With every True Love stamp set sold, CTMH will donate $7 of the process to Operation Smile, a non-profit organization that provides surgeries to repair cleft lips and palates in children.  

Three different papers from the Florence kit were used along with two new ribbons from the Rustic Home Ribbon Pack.  The new Shimmer Brush was used to add a bit of shimmer around the outline of the sentiment, and also to the heart-shaped balloons.  Card design is based on Sketch #25 in Make It From Your Heart Volume 2. 

D1711 True Love  (set of 9 stamps)

All papers and stamps are from Close To My Heart (CTMH).
#ctmh #ctmhFlorence #ctmhOperationSmile 

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

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Purr-fect Halloween (August SOTM Blog Hop)

Welcome to our Stamp of the Month Blog Hop.  Whether you love cats, or Halloween, or both - this stamp set is perfect for you.  With different eyes, hats, and sentiments, you can personalize cat for any occasion.         

If you have come here from My Scrapbooking 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!  

For the first time, Close To My Heart is featuring a "Color of the Year."  And the first featured color, Sea Glass, is being introduced this month.  If you love the Sea Glass color, there is cardstock, ink, and even Glitter paper for you to choose from.  And Sea Glass is also featured in some of the special paper packs which will be available for the Holidays (beginning in September).  

Instead of creating something specific for Halloween, I decided to just use the cute cat from the Purr-fect Halloween stamp set along with the fun sentiment.  Some watercolor was used to give the kitty a bit of color.  Using a piece of the coordinating Sea Glass Glitter paper, along with Silver Foil Tape and White Shimmer Trim adds just enough sparkle.  Card design is found in Make It From Your Heart Volume 2, sketch Number 25.           

Place a $50 minimum order this month (August 2016) and you are eligible to purchase the Purr-fect Halloween stamp set for only $5. It is also available for $17.95 without a qualifying purchase.  

Now "Hop" on over to Inky Hearts Papercrafting 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. 

If you get lost along the way, the complete list of participants is available on Melinda's 'If You Bling It' blog.   

All papers and stamps are from Close To My Heart (CTMH).
#ctmh #cardmaking #ctmhCalypso #watercolor 

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