Lace With Heart

So the ladies over at Heart 2 Heart Challenges want to see some lace.  Have y'all noticed that the pattern on one of the Frosted papers is lace?  It's the perfect compliment for a lace butterfly sponged with Crystal Blue, Sky and Cotton Candy that was left over from a previous project.  I sponged the edges of the front and inside panels with Champagne followed by Colonial White to soften it.  Of course with lace you need ribbon and pearls, right?  Positioning the large flourishes is always a bit of a challenge for me which was enhanced by my cats eagerness to "help."  This card is for someone special, so I left plenty of room for a heartfelt note.

With this card I have completed all of the October challenges at Heart 2 Heart.  Stay tuned because  they have some fun challenges planned for November.  How do I know this?  I was named Top Chic in September which means I am guest designer at Heart 2 Heart for the month of November!  I'm not telling you what the challenges are, so y'all will just have to check back Monday to see what the first one is.  In the meantime, please head on over to see what the other ladies have done with lace at Heart 2 Heart.  Thank you for stopping by!  Until next time, Hansi

Materials used, all Close to my Heart unless otherwise noted:
Paper:  Frosted, Colonial White cardstock
Ink:  Gypsy, Crystal Blue, Sky, Cotton Candy, Champagne, and Colonial White
Stamps:  Card Chatter - Birthday, Simple Memories (retired)
Embellishments:  Pearl Flourish, Pearl Opaque, Colonial White ribbon (retired)
Other:  Art Philosophy Cricut cartridge

Layering It on in the Rose Garden

Don't you just love it when two of your favorite challenges mesh perfectly?  I wanted to play the Rose Blossom Garden challenge to create a Halloween themed project with bonus points for using the "C" key on the Artbooking cartridge when what do you think the Heart 2 Heart challenge this Monday turned out to be?  No, not Halloween.  Layers!  They want to see "Lots of Layers" which is exactly what you get with this cartridge.  I could kill two birds with one stone!  Well the joke was on me because I ended up making two cards.

This is the first version which is 6.5 x 5 inches.  I wanted a big card to give me plenty of room to layer.  Now, because I wasn't making a scrapbook page, I made sure to set my Cricut to "real dial size" before I started.  I cut the frame (photo mat 2 at 4.5 inches) and decided it was to small, so I cut another one at 5 inches and, satisfied that it was the right size, gave it some texture by stamping it in second generation Red Barn with the woodgrain stamp from the "Universal Backgrounds" set.  You can see it better close up:





Next I cut two cats (shift icon at 2.75 inches).  As many times as I have used the cat stamp, I have never tried to stamp it on a cutout, so I wanted a back up in case I "missed."  Next I cut the bird (icon at 1 inch), decided I needed something bigger and cut another at 1.25 inches.  The paper is "Mischief" which is retired but was available a while ago in the "While Supplies Last" section.  I stamped the panel behind the window with the tree and sentiment from the "Eek and Shriek" stamp set.  To finish the front, I popped up the cat and bird, added a few sparkles, and gave the cat a Halloween collar courtesy of my Sunset alcohol marker.  I dressed up the inside with a zip strip, some scraps, the extra bird and my favorite Halloween sentiment from the retired "Wicked" stamp set:

 

 

It turns out the cat stamp was easy to line up on the cutout, so I ended up with an extra cat and frame.  Plus I had a leftover "Trick or Treat" from my pumpkin card, so I figured I might as well make a second, smaller card with a more kid friendly sentiment:

 

With six layers, it also qualifies for the Heart 2 Heart Lots of Layers challenge.  Thank you for stopping by!  Now please check out some more wonderful projects at the Rose Blossom Garden and Heart 2 Heart challenge blogs.  Until next time, Hansi

Materials use, all Close to My Heart unless otherwise noted:
Paper:  Mischief (retired), Bamboo, Red Barn and Colonial White cardstock, Sunset alcohol marker
Ink:  Black, Desert Sand, Cocoa, Red Barn
Stamps:  Eek and Shriek, Wicked (retired)
Embellishments:  Black, Clear and Brown Sparkles
Other:  Artbooking Cricut cartridge





Going Neutral for Heart 2 Heart

I had been waiting for Close to My Heart to come up with a cat stamp that is not too cutsie, and now that they have, I am getting plenty of use from it.  This time the kitty is all neutral for the Heart 2 Heart challenge to go "Au Naturale."  I stamped the tree in Vesamark and the cat in Black pigment ink and then embossed them with Clear detail powder.  Then it was time to sponge over the tree with Whisper, Slate and Black inks to make the tree magically appear.  The moon was stamped in Colonial White pigment ink and the sentiment with Versamrk and White embossing powder to make it pop.  Here is the inside:

 

 

Have I mentioned that I love the gnarly tree, too?  Thank you for stopping by!  Now please head on over the Heart 2 Heart to see some more projects using either neutrals or objects from nature.  Until next time, Hansi

 

Materials used, all Close to My Heart unless otherwise noted:

Paper:  Bamboo, Colonial White, and Black cardstock

Ink:  Black and Colonial White pigment ink, Bamboo, Whisper, Slate and Black dye ink, Versamark

Stamps:  Eek and Shriek, Wicked (retired)

Embellishments:  Clear Detail embossing powder



Sugar Maples With Heart

I just got Close to My Heart's "Fall Harvest" stamp set and this sketch from Atlantic Hearts is the perfect one to showcase it:

 

I stamped leaves with Sunset, Autumn Terracotta, Goldrush, Red Barn Smoothie, and Bamboo pigments inks, heat embossed them with Clear Detail powder and then colored them with Honey, Goldrush, Sunset, Autumn Terracotta, Smoothie, and Red Barn alcohol markers, mixing and layering to the point that I cannot tell you which leaf was done with which colors.  What I do know for sure is that I colored the veins with Olive and that after I cut them out, I sponged around the edges with Sunset regular ink to camouflage any white that I missed while cutting. 

I kept the circle on the right subtle by combining similar patterns of B&T paper from the Huntington Packet and stamped the background flourishes in Red Barn with a stamp from the retired "Instant Memories" set.  Bronze Shimmer trim and Brown Glitter Paper around the popped up sentiment add sparkle which does not show up well in the photographs.  I threw in a few Tan Opaques to lighten things up a bit.  Here is the inside:

The first October challenge over at Heart 2 heart is to go Au Naturale.  In other words, create something using all neutrals or that includes something from nature.  I knew that I wanted to use the Fall Harvest set and have been waiting patiently for it to arrive so I could enter.  Thank you for stopping by!  Now please take a minute to check out the other creations at Heart 2 Heart and Atlantic Hearts challenges.  Until next time, Hansi

Materials used, all from Close to My Heart unless otherwise noted:
Paper:  Huntington, Brown Glitter paper, Red Barn and Colonial White cardstock
Ink:  Goldrush, Sunset, Autumn Terracotta, Smoothie, Red Barn and Bamboo pigment inks, Honey, Goldrush, Sunset, Autumn Terracotta, Smoothie, Red Barn, and Olive alcohol markers, Sunset and Red Barn dye ink
Stamps:  Fall Harvest, Holiday Tags, Instant Memories (retired)
Embellishments:  Bronze Shimmer Trim, Tan Opaques





 

Trick or Treat in the Rose Garden

 

 

This week the ladies over at Heart 2 Heart are challenging us to "Shape up."  In other words, we are to make a card that is not square or rectangular.  Meanwhile, over in the Rose Blossom Garden, they are celebrating Halloween with bonus points for using the "I|" key on Close to My Heart's new Artbooking Cricut cartridge.  Did I mention that I just got the Artbooking cartridge and need (okay, want) to break it in?  It just so happens that the "I" key includes a pumpkin, so a pumpkin shaped card it is.  I love carving pumpkins so much that I usually do two or three, with one always being a cat.

This card is for my nephew who is away at Virginia Tech and will not be home for our family's annual pumpkin carving party.  I started by cutting three pumpkins, one each in Desert Sand, Sunset and Colonial White cardstock.  Next I cut the Sunset pumpkin apart:

After I sponged the edges to give it dimension, I glued the pieces except for the stem onto the Desert Sand pumpkin.  Then I scored the Desert Sand stem and sponged on some ink.  Next I scored and folded along the top half inch of the Colonial White pumpkin and attached just the top part to the back of the Desert Sand pumpkin, so that you can lift the "Cat-o-lantern" to see the message inside:

 

 

I also used the "I" key to cut the mice, candy and sentiment.  Lastly, I drew and cut the cat face by hand and then sponged everything.  Did you notice that this card has no stamping or embellishments?  It is all Cricut!  Of course this card will be accompanied by a box of appropriate treats...

 

Thank you for stopping by.  Now please take a few minutes to check out the creations at Heart 2 Heart and the Rose Blossom Garden.  Until next time, Hansi 

 

Materials used, all Close to My Heart unless otherwise noted:

Paper:  Mischief (retired), Huntington, Red Barn, Honey, Sunset, Desert Sand and Colonial White cardstock

Ink:  Sunset, Slate, Whisper, Red Barn, Honey

Stamps:  None!





Blinging It Up for Atlantic Coast Hearts

I have been playing with snowflakes a lot lately and this Atlantic Hearts Sketch screams for them, particularly since I wanted to participate in the Color My Heart dare to use Twilight and Crystal Blue.

And I would have used snowflakes if I didn't just get a package of Base and Bling Floral Accents that I couldn't wait to play with.  To complement the Pearl Flourish, I popped out the sparkle centers and replaced them with Pearl Opaques.  I made up for removing the sparkles by adding Silver Shimmer Trim and Silver Glitter Paper.  Here is the inside:

Thank you for stopping by!  Until next time, Hansi





Materials used, all from Close to My Heart unless otherwise noted:
Paper:  Twilight, Crystal Blue and White Daisy cardstock, Silver Glitter Paper
Ink:  Twilight, Crystal Blue
Stamps:  Fabulous You, Card Chatter - Birthday
Embellishments:  Base and Bling Floral Accents, Pearl Flourish, Silver Shimmer Trim





A Freshly Made Butterfly for Jack Blue to Chase

This is for a friend who is heartbroken because her dog has gone to the Rainbow Bridge.  I like to think that Jack Blue is young and healthy and chasing butterflies again.  I used this sketch from Freshly Made Sketches:

I really like Close to My Heart's new Sincere Expressions stamp set!  Here is the inside:

Thank you for stopping by!  Now please go see what the others have done with this sketch.  Until next time, Hansi

Materials used, all Close to My Heart unless otherwise noted:
Paper:  Colonial White, Smokey Plum, and Heavenly Blue (retired) cardstock, Wonderland (retired)
Ink:  Black, Gypsy, Heavenly Blue (retired), and Outdoor Denim
Stamps:  Find Your Style (retired), Sincere Expressions
Embellishments:  Black Sparkles
Other:  Paper Lace II embossing folder from Cuddlebug, Art Philosophy Cricut cartridge









A little Black Dress With Heart

When I first saw this dress shape on Close to My Heart's Artiste Cricut cartridge, I had a vision of it, a mirror and the dress form from my favorite stamp set, "Find Your Style," but I never got around to acting on my vision until the Heart 2 Heart "Little Black Dress" challenge provided the kick in the butt  motivation and Atlantic Hearts provided the inspiration with this sketch which I rotated to accommodate a vertical design:





After cutting out the dress (page 41, shift + accent 2, 3.5 inches real dial size), I dry embossed the skirt, only to find that the white core showed though in parts of the raised design.  Now the white core of CTMH's cardstock can provide additional design opportunities in many cases, but in this case, those bits of white detracted from the "black" dress concept, so I went over it with a sponge dauber and black ink.  Of course the great thing about a little black dress is that you get to accessorize!  I created a belt by cutting a piece of silver shimmer trim in half lengthwise and adding a base and bling floral accent.  I knew that I wanted to put pearl opaques on the neckline, so I removed the sparkle in the middle of the flower and replaced it with a pearl opaque.

Once the dress was done, it was time to make a mirror.  First I used the CTMH Art Philosophy cartridge to cut a frame (page 47, decorative layer, 4.5 inches) from La Belle Vie paper and put scrapes of pink behind the corner cutouts.  I cut out an oval of Colonial white slightly larger than the opening, stamped the dress form in second generation black ink and the swirls in second generation Blush and Vineyard Berry (retired) and slipped it behind the opening.  After sponging the frame with black ink to help it stand out, I matted it with a piece cut from La Belle Vie Mauve (page 47, shape 8, 4.75 inches).  Black sparkles completed the frame.  Before attaching the dress I added a few more swirls to the background.  I like the swirls so much that I used them on the inside as well:

I like the retro feel of pink, white, gray and black together and think it complements the style of the dress.  Thank you for stopping by!  Now please head on over Heart 2 Heart to see some more little black dresses and Atlantic Hearts to see what others have done with this layout.  Until next time, Hansi

Materials used, all Close to My Heart unless otherwise noted:
Paper:  La Belle Vie, Colonial White cardstock
Ink:  Black, Blush, Vineyard Berry (retired)
Stamps:  Find Your Style (retired), Fabulous You, Instant memories (retired), Card Chatter - Birthday
Embellishments:  Silver Shimmer Trim, Base and Bling Floral Accents, Pearl Opaques, Black Sparkles
Other:  Paper Lace II embossing folder from Cuddlebug





Shades of Blue for Atlantic Hearts

 
It has been a crazy week and I have been suffering from severe paper withdrawal.  I finally had a chance to get inky last night using this this sketch from Atlantic Hearts:



I started with Close to My Heart's Single Snowflake mini which I stamped with Slate pigment ink and embossed with clear detail powder so that I could color it without smearing the ink.  I then embellished it with Silver Glitter Glitz and a Base and Bling Floral Accent.  No, there is no Cricut shape you can use to frame it.  I had to cut it and the mat by hand (gasp) after using a ruler to draw the lines.  I also popped it up with some foam tap.  The paper is Frosted which, as you can see, does not have to be limited to Christmas or winter themed projects.  A piece of Silver Glimmer Trim, a Base and Bling Floral Accent and a couple of retired blue sparkles provide the finishing touches. 

I originally thought this would be a warm wishes kind of card, but as I worked, I realized that it would be perfect for my mom who loves the color blue and, God willing, will be 80 in November.  Thank you for stopping by!  Now please check out what others have done with this Atlantic Hearts Sketch.  Until next time, Hansi

Materials used, all Close to My Heart unless otherwise noted:
Paper:  Frosted, Colonial White, Frosted Blue, and Frosted gray cardstock
Ink:  Slate pigment and dye inks, Crystal Blue, Sky, Twilight, and Whisper alcohol markers
Stamps:  Single Snowflake, Card Chatter - Birthday
Embellishments:  Blue Sparkles (retired), Silver Shimmer Trim, Silver Glitter Glitz