SOTM Blog Hop - Wild About Love

Welcome to the Stamp of the Month Blog Hop! We will be featuring February's SOTM, "Wild About Love", a set of 9 stamps.  If you have come here from Michelle's Blog, you are on the right path! The blog hop is a great big circle, so you can start here and work your way all around. A complete list of bloggers can be found here.  

This month we have approximately 55 Close To My Heart Consultants sharing their creations using this month's SOTM and great NEW Close To My Heart products on their blogs. Just click on the link at the end of the post on each blog to move to the next one!

Here is a picture of the images in this stamp set. 

I chose to create a standard size card using this stamp set and the new Ivy Lane Paper Pack. Smokey Plum is almost a perfect ink match to the Ivy Lane Purple cardstock that comes in this kit. I used the pigment inks to stamp my image for the intensity of colour. The new metallic Baker's Twine added a nice touch, along with the Pink Glitter Paper. 

Supplies used are all Close To My Heart: 

Paper: Ivy Lane Paper Pack including specific cardstock available only with this paper pack, Hollyhock Cardstock, White Daisy Cardstock
Stamps: Wild about Love
Inks: Smokey Plum Pigment Ink, White Daisy Pigment Ink
Accessories: Art Philosophy Cartridge, Artiste Cartridge, Pink Glitter Paper, Heat Tool, Hollyhock Alcohol Marker, Pear Alcohol Marker, Baker's Twine - Neutral Metallic Assortment, Pink Glitter Gems, Sparkles - Black and Grey Assortment

 Now "hop" on over to Lalia's Blog to see her work! Be sure to visit all the Consultants at their blogs to get some great crafting ideas and other fun ideas! Remember, the February SOTM is only available until the last day of February! Click here to see how you can get this stamp set for just $5 this month! 

Enjoy, 

Alyson

Baby Frame Gift with Cards

My wonderful minister and his beautiful wife are expecting a baby boy in just a couple of weeks. She has had a difficult pregnancy and has been ill throughout the entire period. I thought that giving this to them now would be appropriate, particularly the cards as I know that many people have been helping them out since she has been home bound and on bed rest and they also have a daughter who will be turning 4 right around the time their baby is due as well. 

I have created 20 cards (5 of each design) but only one of each is shown on the frame. The cards are generic in nature, just reading "Thanks", so she can use them for whatever she needs. The side of each card has also been stamped with either "Just a note to say thanks" or "When I count my blessings, I count you first." 

I hope they enjoy this and display it somewhere in their home with photos of both of the kids, especially now that they will have both a little boy and a little girl. 

This is a close up of the left side of the banner.

And the right side of the banner. 

Lastly, a better look at one of the cards. 

 

Supplies used are all Close To My Heart unless otherwise noted:

Paper: Babycakes Paper Pack, Buttercup Cardstock, Chocolate Cardstock, Slate Cardstock, Colonial White Cards and Envelopes

Stamps: Perfect Fit - Frames 2, A Friend Like You (ret.), Thank You (ret.)
Inks: Honey, Sunset, Chocolate, Buttercup, Honey
Accessories: Art Philosophy Cartridge, Artiste Cartridge, Artbooking Cartridge, Colonial White Frame, Mini Clothespins, Yellow Paint (not CTMH), Brown Paint (not CTMH), Sponge Daubers, Scalloped Punch, 11/4 Circle Punch, Dimensional Elements - Banners, Framework, Snapshots, Silver Shimmer Trim, Bronze Shimmer Trim, Baker's Twine - Neutral Assortment, Mocha Opaque Adhesive Gems

Enjoy, 
Alyson
 

Masculine Get Well Card

A friend of mine hurt himself pretty badly over the Christmas holidays with a fall on the ice. His arm is in a sling and I understand that he also really hurt his back when he fell. He is more than a little frustrated at the things he can't do... a typical man, I guess. I am hoping that this will perk him up a bit. 

This is also a sneak peek at the new paper pack, Timberline. I love the colours in this paper pack and it is so perfect for masculine layouts and cards as well as anything outdoorsy. 

Products are Close To My Heart unless otherwise indicated: 

Paper: Timberline Paper Pack, Lagoon Cardstock, Goldrush Cardstock, Slate Cardstock, Colonial White Cardstock

Stamps: Fabulous You, Look to the Light

Inks: Black Pigment Ink, Lagoon Pigment Ink

Accessories: Art Philosophy Cartridge, Embossing Folder (not CTMH), Sanding Kit, Black and Grey Sparkles, Lagoon Alcohol Markers, Copic Markers (not CTMH), Off-White Embroidery Floss (not CTMH), Foam Tape, CTMH Ruler

Enjoy, 

Alyson

Two Chantilly Birthday Cards

With a number of birthdays coming up in the near future, I am trying to get ahead of the rush to finish cards. I hate that feeling of mailing them out at the last minute and wondering it they will arrive on time. 

I will be so sad to see the Chantilly Paper Pack disappear. It has been one of my favourites since it was released a year ago. I still have a lot of it and it uses of some of my favourite colours like Cotton Candy, Pear and Ruby. 

Here are the two birthday cards I have finished. They are both created using almost identical ideas from the Make It From Your Heart Book - Volume 2. 

Supplies used are all Close To My Heart unless otherwise indicated:

Paper: Chantilly Paper Pack, Pear Cardstock, Ruby Cardstock, Cotton Candy Cardstock, White Daisy Cardstock, White Daisy Cardstock Bases

Stamps: Joyful Birthday, Take Note Cricut Bundle, A Little Gift, Holiday Tags

Inks: Ruby Pigment Ink, Pear Pigment Ink, Ruby Ink, Cotton Candy Ink, Outdoor Denim Ink, Green Copic Marker (not CTMH), Dark Red Copic Marker (not CTMH)

Accessories: Artiste Cartridge, Harvest Baker's Twine, Pink Baker's Twine (not CTMH), Hollyhock Zipper Lace, Clear Sparkles, Bitty Sparkles, Foam Tape, Silver Shimmer Tape

Enjoy, 

Alyson

 

Sympathy Card for Special Friend

A good friend of mine recently had a terrible accident occur in her daughter's life. Her daughter's best friend was killed in a car accident at the tender age of just 22. The young girl's boyfriend was seriously injured but is expected to survive. Fortunately, the young girl was a Christian, as is her boyfriend. 

I immediately created this card and sent it on to my friend's daughter. I cannot even begin to imagine the pain she and her family must be experiencing. I can only hope that they will lean on each other and on God in this time of need. 

Products used are all Close To My Heart

Paper: For Always Paper Pack, Lagoon Cardstock, Blush Cardstock, Black Cardstock, White Daisy Cardstock, White Daisy Card Base

Stamps: Words of Comfort

Inks: Lagoon Pigment Ink, Blush

Accessories: Clear Detail Embossing Powder, Heat Tool, Sponge Dauber, Corner Rounder, Scallop Border Punch, Foam Tape, Baker's Twine - Neutral Assortment, Baker's Twine - Paradise Assortment, Sparkles - Black and Grey Assortment

Alyson

Mika - My Precious Little One Layout

After over 6 months of doing almost no creating at all (except for the SOTM Blog Hop), I am finally back in the mood to get back at it and it feels awesome! I have been taking photographs of Mika, my puppy, and I cannot believe she will turn 6 months old next week! She is really playful but she loves to cuddle as well and she and has been a wonderful companion for me as I continue to work through several issues (medical, emotional and physical) that hit me in 2013 and the start of this year as well. 

I LOVE two of the paper packs that are retiring shortly - For Always and Chantilly - so I combined them for the first layout I did of Mika. The pattern is taken right out of "Make It From Your Heart - Volume 2" but if fit perfectly for what I wanted.

  Below I have shown each page individually so you can see a little more detail in each. 

All products used are Close To My Heart unless otherwise noted:

Paper: For Always Paper Pack, Chantilly Paper Pack, Black Cardstock, Cotton Candy Cardstock, White Daisy Cardstock
Stamps: None
Inks: None
Accessories: Artiste Cartridge, Art Philosophy Cartridge, Computer font (not CTMH), Base and Bling Pink Jewels, Base and Bling Black Jewels, For Always Textiles, Sparkles - Black and Grey Assortment, Sparkles Black Flourishes

Enjoy, 

Alyson

Happy Birthday Card with Pro Player and Chevrons

I know creating male cards is a struggle for many people but I really enjoy the challenge. Today is the birthday of a good friend of mine and I really wanted to use the One-Way Borders stamp set. I think that stamp set is so cool because people always ask about the chevron ribbon and whether it really is the same width across or not - some actually measure it just to make sure and this stamp set is the same way! Those images can be SO deceiving!

This card is based on an older sketch from Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenges (#31). I have posted the sketch here, just for reference.  

Products used are all Close To My Heart

Paper: Pro Player Paper Pack, Outdoor Denim Cardstock
Stamps: One-Way Borders, Joyful Birthday
Inks: Outdoor Denim Pigment Ink
Accessories: Clear Detail Embossing Powder, Heat Tool, Outdoor Denim Chevron Ribbon, Pro Player Accessories

Enjoy, 
Alyson