SOUS Easter Layout

Today, I am enjoying the sunshine as I sit here in my craft room. I even played silly hide-and-go-seek games with my daughter.

I'm really proud of my latest scrapbook layout. One of my close friends finally took the leap to log into Cricut Craft Room, and she inspired me to give it a try. After more than 2 hours trying to get my computer to recognize the cricut and finally to update firmware, etc., I began to have my doubts if it was really worth it. BUT, now that all those things have been accomplished, I love the ease of using CCR. I can even create 12" grass! Amazing....And, I even bought a digital cricut cartridge download (Doodlecharms) so I could cut the Easter basket. 

Recipe:
Paper: Brushed, Juniper CS, Hollyhock CS, White Daisy CS, Black CS, Kraft CS (CTMH)
Stamps: A Hop (retired), Keyboard Uppercase Alphabet, Brushed WOTG (CTMH)
Inks: Pear, Hollyhock, Buttercup (retired), Pixie, Desert Sand, Black, Juniper (CTMH)
Tools: Cricut Artiste, Cricut Doodlecharms, Micro-Tip Scissors, Woodgrain Embossing Folder, Sponges (CTMH)
Other: Lagoon Heart Washi, Topiary Chevron Ribbon, Glue Dots, Foam Tape (CTMH)

At one point, as Izzy was participating in her 2nd Easter Egg Hunt (she did three of them last year), she yelled "Chocolate. I need chocolate! Chocolate I tell ya!"

I am entering this layout into the following challenges:
1) Stuck On U Sketches: In The Garden Challenge
2) Heart 2 Heart Challenges: How Cute Challenge

I can't wait for this Easter. Izzy wants to take back her record of finding her Easter basket first. I wonder who will succeed?

Casandra

My Love Affair With Paper

My love affair with pretty paper began back in 2001. My cousin introduced me to scrapbooking and I was hooked. With the release of each new Idea Book from Close To My Heart, I find at least one new paper pack that becomes my new favorite. The funny thing about the papers that I chose for this blog hop is that they were actually my least favorite from the 2013 Spring/Summer Idea Book. BUT, my fellow Close To My Heart consultants kept displaying artwork with it that made me fall for it, and I snatched up a kit shortly before they sold out. My daughter's Hello Kitty dress pairs perfectly with this paper. Love happy coincidences like that.

If you have come here from Janet McCormick's blog, you are on the right track. 

I created two layouts from the Claire paper pack, and a friend loaned me her wotg stamp set. 

Products Used:

Paper: Claire (retired), Outdoor Denim CS, Colonial White CS, Hollyhock CS, Sunset CS, Blush CS (retired) (CTMH)

Stamps: Claire WOTG (retired), Keyboard Uppercase Alphabet, Trinity Alphabet (retired) (CTMH)

Inks: Hollyhock, Outdoor Denim, Desert Sand, Champagne, Cotton Candy (CTMH)

Tools: Paper-Piercer, Micro-Tip Scissors, Glue Pen, Watercolor Pencils, Corner Rounder, Sanding Kit (CTMH)

Other:Bitty Sparkles (CTMH)

Your next stop on the hop will be Priscilla Gotham's blog. 

Thanks for stopping by! 

Casandra

Heartstrings Goat Time Layout

The Heartstrings paper pack is full of vibrant color, in fact, 2 of my favorites: Lagoon and Hollyhock. My favorite thing about it is that even though it is meant for love-themed projects, it is versatile enough to be used with other themes, such as I did with my following layout. This paper pack is definitely one of my new favorites, and I used up every scrap of it. I would like to enter this layout into this week's Heart2Heart Challenge: Share the Love, the CTMH Way. I know...too many favorites...but all of them, CTMH.

Recipe:
Paper: Heartstrings, Glacier CS, White Daisy CS, Whisper CS (CTMH)
Stamps: Thrill Ride (retired), Ticket to Ride (retired), Marquee Uppercase Alphabet, Keyboard Uppercase Alphabet (CTMH)
Inks: Blush, Hollyhock, Slate, Lagoon (CTMH)
Tools: Paper-Piercer, Micro-Tip Scissors (CTMH)
Other: Stuck On You Glitter Puffies, Bitty Sparkles, Heartstrings Complements, Foam Tape, Embroidery Floss (CTMH)

I used a Scrapbook Generation sketch, and retired Thrill Ride and Ticket To Ride stamp sets. In case the title piqued your curiousity, my daughter was being super silly on the way to the fair this past Summer. She kept talking about goats, and when I told the kids "It's go-time, people.", Izzy quickly asked "Goat time?" I hope I will always remember her giggles and how fun she was at this age. It was such a funny moment, that I quickly wrote the dialogue down and put it in a safe place for her scrapbook.

Hope I've inspired you to look at the Heartstrings paper pack in a new light. Thanks for stopping by.

Casandra

Snowhaven Up To Snow Good Layout

Last night, I started working on my latest project. I was excited to receive my Shutterfly print order in the mail and itching to create a scrapbook layout with some of the photos. I had this layout idea spinning circles in my brain and felt the mojo magic to create it.

Recipe:
Paper: Snowhaven, Glacier Paper Fundamentals, Hollyhock CS, Smokey Plum CS, White Daisy CS (CTMH)
Stamps: Frosty Fun, Keyboard Uppercase Alphabet, Year: Noted (CTMH)
Inks: Smokey Plum, Hollyhock, Black (CTMH)
Tools: Sponge, Cricut Art Philosophy, Cricut Artbooking, Paper-Piercer, Micro-Tip Scissors, Craft Heater, Craft Tray, Clear Detail Embossing Powder, ShinHan Alcohol Markers, Stitch Guide Ruler (CTMH)
Other: White Daisy Embroidery Floss (retired), Red Enamel Hearts, Silver Sequins, Clear Sparkles (CTMH)

The "snow" title pieces were negatives from a cricut title piece I used on another layout. They were cut out on white cardstock, but I thought the white felt flat against the picture, so I used my smokey plum ink pad and a sponge to color them purple. Tomorrow, they will probably look lighter (more purple) than they do now, since that's the way ink seems to work as it dries. If I had a white gel pen, I would have outlined them to make them pop more. I must remember to add it to my next order. 

People often ask me if I use a machine to stitch, but the answer is no. I hand-stitch. Call me crazy, but I like it. Oh, and that title was something I saw today on Pinterest. How's that for timing? I couldn't resist using it since it paired so well with my mischievous children and last January's photos.

Thanks so much for stopping in today. Hope your weekend is crafty!

Casandra

Autumn Cutie Layout

If you are here for the first time, I have been working on a baby album for a cousin. Following is another layout that I created for it.

I was inspired again by a layout in a previous idea book. I was looking for a pattern to use, and I like this one because it uses mainly 4x6 photos (4 of them can be cut down to 4x4). It was a little painful using some of my hoarded Twitterpated paper, and there was a moment where I wanted to keep it instead of gifting it, but this baby will be a year old before I ever finish it if I use that philosophy. Teehee.

Okay, so this layout uses Imagine: Ensemble Piece template. It is one that I've often dismissed in the book. But gosh, this paper is super cute with it. To highlight the separate photo spots, I added some stitching. I painstakingly pierced each hole using my piercing tool and stitch guide ruler. 

I would like to thank my friend Celina once again for another gift she sent me a while back, but this is the first time I've had the pleasure of using it. The title "Autumn" comes from a new stamp set "Handwritten Print" alphabet. I have many alphabet stamp sets, mostly retired now, and this really was the best fit for this layout. LOVE IT! Thank you again, Celina. You are AWESOME, my crafty friend. 

I added liquid glass to the little dots on the sorbet print paper. It never photographs well, but you get the idea. 

Recipe:
Paper: Twitterpated (retired), Chocolate CS, Sweet Leaf CS, Colonial White CS (CTMH)
Stamps: Keyboard Uppercase Alphabet, Handwritten Print Alphabet, Twitterpated WOTG (retired) (CTMH)
Inks: Chocolate, Sweet Leaf, Sorbet (CTMH)
Tools: Paper-Piercer, Micro-Tip Scissors, Liquid Glass, Stitch Guide Ruler (CTMH)
Other: Twitterpated Buttons (retired), Chocolate Ribbon (retired), White Daisy Embroidery Floss (retired) (CTMH)

I would like to enter this layout into the Use Your Stuff Challenge #157. Twitterpated is one of my very first Close To My Heart kits dating back to 2009, and of course, I didn't buy just one. Happy Fall, Y'all!

Casandra

Home For The Holidays Blog Hop

Welcome to our Stamp of the Month Blog Hop!  This month's stamp is called "Home For The Holidays", and most of the images from this set can even be cut with our Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge.  It is available until October 31st.  I am your last stop on this blog hop.  You should have arrived from Melissa Robinson's blog.  If you get lost along the way, you’ll find the complete list of participating consultants at Melinda Everitt's blog.

This month, we have seventy+ Close To My Heart Consultants sharing their creations using this month's SOTM and other great Close To My Heart products.  A blog hop is simple to do - just click on the link at the end of the post on each blog to move to the next one!  Here we go!

Tonight, as I was putting the finishing touches on this layout, I accidentally dropped one of the "I" letters into my tool basket. When I went to retrieve it, my micro-tip scissors fell out onto the floor. They stuck micro-tip into my hardwood floor, about 6" from my foot. Eek...that was scary. What crazy misadventures have you had while trying to scrap?

I used some snippets of ruby chevron ribbon to accent this layout. I thought it would be fun to incorporate it since it is part of our October special "Ribbon Revelry". If you didn't buy it, now's your chance to get it FREE during the month of October. If you place a qualifying order of $50+, you will receive one of two chevron ribbons (ruby or outdoor denim) with your order. Awesome, right?

This layout is one of many that I am creating for my cousin's baby album. I just had to use that cute polar bear since her baby boy's middle name is "Bear". Awe....

Recipe: 

Paper: Snowhaven, Whisper CS, White Daisy CS, Crystal Blue CS (CTMH)

Stamps: Home For The Holidays, Marquee Alphabet, Keyboard Uppercase Alphabet (CTMH)

Inks: Cranberry, Glacier, Black (CTMH)

Tools: Paper-Piercer, Micro-Tip Scissors, Watercolor Pencils, Glue Pen (CTMH)

Other: Ruby Chevron Ribbon (retired), Bitty Sparkles, Aqua Dots, Foam Tape (CTMH)

Now "Hop" on over to Adeline Brill's blog to see her work!  Be sure to visit all the Consultants at their Blogs to get some great crafting tips and fun ideas!   Contact your CTMH Consultant (or click here) to see how you can get this stamp set at a discount!  Thank you for stopping by.

*Designed by Close To My Heart

FREE with $50 order in October!

Family Is Forever SOTM Blog Hop

Welcome to our Stamp of the Month Blog Hop!  This month's stamp is called "Family Is Forever". This stamp set is only available through the end of September. I am your last stop on this blog hop. You should have arrived from Jacquelin Green's blog. If you get lost along the way, you’ll find the complete list of participating consultants at Melinda Everitt's blog.

This month we have eighty (can you believe 80?!) Close To My Heart Consultants sharing their creations using this month's SOTM and other great Close To My Heart products on their blogs. A blog hop is simple to do - just click on the link at the end of the post on each blog to move to the next one! Here we go!

I am using our Chalk It Up paper. It was important to me that these photos were really the main focus of this layout. I did some hand-stitching to finish it off. A quick note: Maybe no one else saw this, but when I looked at the "LOVE" sentiment included in the stamp set, I saw dog bones. 

This is our little puppy, Jagger. He has been a hand-full, let me tell ya. The biggest problem we are having is that he likes to bite. Izzy is Jagger's person, if you believe in such things. She loves him, despite his bullish behavior with her. If anyone has any tips for how to break this cute puppy from biting, I would love to hear them. So far, we are basically putting him in "time-out", but we also read somewhere that you are supposed to startle him with "Ouch" in a loud voice. Anyways, I love this stamp set, and plan to also create a family tree type of layout with it.

Recipe: 

Paper: Chalk It Up, White Daisy CS, Black CS, Lagoon CS (CTMH)

Stamps: Family is Forever, Keyboard Uppercase Alphabet, Chocolate Alphabet Large (retired) (CTMH)

Inks: Cotton Candy, Lagoon, Glacier, Black (CTMH)

Tools: Stitch Ruler, Paper-Piercer, Micro-Tip Scissors, Scallop Border Punch, Glue Pen, Journaling Pen (CTMH)

Other: Gold Sequins, Chalk It Up Assortment, Black Embroidery Floss (CTMH)

Now "Hop" on over to Melinda Everitt's blog to see her work! Be sure to visit all the Consultants at their Blogs to get some great crafting tips and fun ideas!   Contact your CTMH Consultant (or click here) to see how you can get this stamp set at a discount! Thank you for stopping by.

*Designed by Close To My Heart

*Designed by Close To My Heart

Stashbusters Confetti Wishes Layout

We're trying to get back into routine here today, with added puppy duties. I was browsing some blogs in the early a.m. today, after being up for the fourth time with Jagger. It appears he has his days and nights mixed up, much the way a newborn baby might.

I came across a Stashbusters layout on a blog I follow and decided to follow the link. Once there, I looked up the most current sketch requirements. This is what I came up with.

I used some new product I received last week, called Confetti Wishes (purple paper plus yellow checker paper). Otherwise, the other papers are retired. I also used up some retired embellishments. I'm starting to use my Cricut more. Funny that it took purging a bunch of product to help me out in that direction.

Recipe:
Paper: Dotty For You (retired), Later Sk8r (retired), Confetti Wishes (new), White Daisy CS (CTMH)
Stamps: Chocolate Large Alphabet (retired), This is Good, Keyboard Uppercase Alphabet, Cricut Artbooking (CTMH)
Inks: Thistle (new), Lagoon (CTMH)
Tools: Cricut Art Philosophy, Cricut Artbooking, Paper-Piercer, Micro-Tip Scissors (CTMH)
Other: Honey Mini-Medley Assortment (retired), Lagoon Mini-Medley Assortment (retired), White Daisy Brads (retired), Glue Dots (CTMH), Purple Buttons (Jo-Ann's), Purple Embroidery Floss (DMC)

I would like to enter this into Stashbusters July 2014 Week 2 Challenge, as well as Color Throwdown CTD302 Challenge. I'm always looking for ways to use up my extra stash. The scalloped square pieces were cut at 4", and the journaling piece was cut at 4" real dial size.

Hope you have a great night! Thank you for stopping by.

Casandra

Magic Beans Layout

Yesterday, after my kids got home from school, they settled in for a snack at the counter. While snacking on some of their leftover Easter candy, they thought up a "magical idea" to plant the rest of their jelly beans in the ground. Izzy wants to grow a "bean tree".

I quickly ran to get my camera as the kids gathered up a couple of shovels and a watering can. I had already pinned the perfect sketch earlier in the day from Let's Get Sketchy. This is probably the fastest turn around time I've ever had with a layout. Love it! Sometimes, you just have to be in the moment and capture it quickly. A couple of cute kids and some magic jelly beans comes just in time for the Heart2Heart Magical May Challenge, too!

Recipe:
Paper: Hooligans (retired), Lagoon CS, White Daisy CS, Pear CS (CTMH)
Stamps: Field Trip Alphabet (retired), Keyboard Uppercase Alphabet, Grown With Love (retired), A Hop (retired), Lifting Spirits, It's Your Day (retired), True To Life (CTMH), Sugar, Sugar (The Cat's Pajamas)
Inks: Black (VersaFine), Gypsy, Pear, Lagoon, Chocolate (CTMH)
Tools: Micro-Tip Scissors, Liquid Glass, Glue Pen, Watercolor Pencils, Sweet Leaf Alcohol Marker, Crystal Blue Alcohol Marker (CTMH)

I looked through my stamp collection and the closest image I could find that resembled a jelly bean shape was actually the bunny nose from a stamp set I won a couple of years ago. I added some liquid glass to give them a jelly bean shine. What do you think?

I love this layout. It is so happy and cheerful and makes me smile. Hope you have a fantastic week!

Casandra

Artbooking Snapshots Mini Album

I actually have been working on projects, but haven't had much time to get them posted for you to see. Here's one that I just finished up today. 

I can't take complete credit for this design. I found inspiration from Stacy Julian's website.

Oh snap! (Sorry; couldn't help myself.) So, I made this album way more difficult than it had to be. I finally figured out on literally the last 2 pages that all I had to do was set my dial size to 8" because everything was already linked on the two buttons I used (buttons 3 and 4, pages 40-41). I kept thinking I needed to use the real dial size button and then set the dial at a certain number of inches. I went through about 5 pieces of cardstock before I finally figured out what I was doing wrong. 

If you choose to create this album at home with your very own Artbooking cartridge, remember to set the dial at 8" and keep the real dial size button OFF. It will cut everything to size just for this album. (Side note: I laughed myself silly when I set the my favorite photos cut to 1". Teeny, tiny!)

Recipe:
Paper: Elemental (retired), Olive CS, Lagoon CS, Sorbet CS, Buttercup CS, Bamboo CS, Colonial White CS, Desert Sand CS (CTMH)
Stamps: It's Your Day (retired), Marquee Alphabet, Keyboard Uppercase Alphabet, Canvas Art Workshop (retired), Hello Summer, True To Life, Artbooking (CTMH)
Inks: Sorbet, Lagoon, Olive, Desert Sand (CTMH)
Tools: Cricut Artbooking, Journaling Pen, Paper-Piercer, Micro-Tip Scissors, Glue Pen (CTMH)
Other: Aqua Dots, Brown Shimmer Trim, Lagoon Houndstooth Washi Tape, Lagoon Baker's Twine, Green Button (CTMH)

Don't forget: I am celebrating 3 years with Close To My Heart, this month. Please read previous post (scroll down) to see my fabulous deals. 

Have a happy day!

Casandra

Frosted Workshop

Good afternoon, my friends. I hope you are all doing well and staying warm this winter.

In honor of the weather we are currently having in Northern Michigan, I would like to share my Frosted layouts with you.

Our snowman has lost a little weight in the last week. In five days, we went from temperatures like 20 below zero to a high of 39 degrees. And in the past hour, we are thankfully getting snow again, after freezing drizzle overnight. 

I love how these layouts turned out. When I first sat down with Frosted, I loved the colors and the patterns but felt it was pretty neutral. Like a mad scientist, I gleefully began sorting through kits to find hollyhock cardstock but could only come up with 1 sheet. What's a girl to do? So I took some Smoothie, Cotton Candy and Blush and put it up next to my daughter's winter coat to compare color contrast. In the end, Smoothie was the closest fit for me, and I love how it makes Izzy's snow gear pop. 

I also added gypsy and smokey plum to certain layouts for a nice contrast of color. For the "All Bundled Up" layout, I added some White Daisy, Slate and Juniper cardstock to pull colors from my son's winter gear. I love how the photos pop on that layout with the white daisy photo mats. On the last layout, I decided to embellish the overall story with a retired stamp set called "Bundled Up". Jack and Izzy played in the snow that day making snow angels and throwing snowballs. Did you happen to notice the winter hat I stamped and fussy cut above the "O" in the title? It was a last-minute addition, and I totally love the effect.

Thanks for stopping by today. My new Spring/Summer 2014 goodies should be here tomorrow. :) Have a happy day!

Casandra