Cardstock Carnival Australasian Blog Hop

Hello and welcome aboard our Cardstock Carnival Australasian Close to My Heart Blog Hop.

If you have arrived here from Doris then you are in the right place. 

If you landed here by accident, no problem, please join in by following the link at the end of this post.

 Today I would like to share with you a creation which features Close To My Heart’s March special- Cardstock Carnival! You can get some great discounts on cardstock bundles this month so I thought I would share a fun Cricut project I completed using only cardstock.

I started off with a Black cardstock 12x12 base- and then added all of the layered cardstock straight from the Love Each Day Cricut collection. I used Pewter, Nectarine, Lemonade, Carolina, White Daisy and Sapphire cardstock to cut this layout.

The title could easily be changed, but I kept the original title since Adam is now a third generation table tennis player, following in the footsteps of his brother, father and grandfather. 

These colours work so well together- and I also added some glimmer with some Diamond Stickles Glitter Glue. 

You may be wondering if it was a mission to glue all of the stars behind the template- luckily I used the Adhesive Sheets to make the process a breeze!

I'd love you to leave a comment before heading off to the next stop, Alison.

February Technique Hop- Stunning Stencils

Welcome to our Technique Blog Hop! 

This blog hop is a great big circle so you can start wherever you want and continue through to see all the fabulous artwork incorporating this technique.

If you are coming from Michelle's Blog you are on the right track! 

I love the new Sawyer collection, and part of this is the Sawyer Digital Art Collection.

I saw the cute card front (top right corner) and immediately thought how great it would be as a stencil- and so I cut it from my Cricut using a 11" length ratio to create a stencil for a scrapbook page.

I stuck the template to some White Daisy Cardstock using the temporary Quickie Glue Pen and then simply painted over it using my Watercolour Paints in orange, pink and purple hues.

I was left with this very cool stencil pattern, which matched the Sawyer collection and my photos perfectly!

Once this was dry, I cut it down to size to create a banner for my scrapbook page. I had these gorgeous photos of my niece wearing pink, purple and orange and so I paired the stencil with a plain Peach Cardstock background to make the stencil the focus of this layout. 

I embellished this layout with some of the gorgeous Sawyer Stickers and Sawyer Die-cuts to create interest- the scallop edges are also stickers and then I used the Zip Strip from the Sawyer Paper Packet for another pop of colour. 

I used another Sawyer sticker for my journalling box and also cut the title and the scalloped circle background from the Sawyer Digital Art Kit.

I really love using stencilled backgrounds to create my own patterned paper- and the Digital Art Collections make this so easy as there are a variety of different stencil templates available. 

Thanks for stopping by!  Please continue onto Maz's Blog where you will find her sharing her stencil technique.  Be sure to leave a comment and happy hopping!

September/October Catalog New Product Blog Hop

Welcome to our Seasonal Catalogue Blog Hop!  We will be featuring all of the fun items that are available now in the September/October catalogue.  If you have come here from Haley Dyer, the Inky Scrapper, 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.  If you get lost along the way, you’ll find the complete list of participating consultants on Melinda’s Blog. 

This month we have 15 Close To My Heart Consultants sharing their creations using this month's SOTM and other great CTMH products on their blogs. This 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!

It's never too early to be thinking about Christmas cards, and when I saw the A Furry Merry Christmas stamp set I had to get it!

I coloured this adorable stamp set using Watercolour Pencils and placed the sentiment on some Papaya Cardstock. I then matted the card using  the new Pumpkin Spice Paper Packet (the stripe works for Christmas too!) and added some cute little crosses in first and second generation Papaya Ink using the new Pumpkin Spice Scrapbooking Stamp Set.

I added a fun sprig background using different leaves I cut from the new Holly and Ivy Digital Art Collection and then embellished the berries with the Holly and Ivy Die Cuts as the red glitter circles were the perfect size!

Now "Hop" on over to Maureen'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! 

Anything Goes Technique Blog Hop

Welcome to our Technique Blog Hop!  This month there are 11 of us highlighting any technique we would like to share- anything goes!

This blog hop is a great big circle so you can start wherever you want and continue through to see all the fabulous artwork incorporating this technique.

If you are coming from Maz' Blog you are on the right track! 

I love making my own marbled backgrounds using ink. For this project I started by putting Carolina, Bluebird and Sapphire ink on my 5x6 Acrylic Block, and then spritzing with water. Of course, you can use any size block to correspond with your project. 

I then place it over the area I want inked- for this project I cut a tag from the Tags and Tabs Thin Cuts  using Watercolour Cardstock, and I had stamped the image of a shark from the Jawsome Birthday stamp set.

I did a few of these tags- I love how every one is different as I redo the ink every time. 

I then cut a fun envelope for my tags using Bluebird Cardstock, my Cricut and the Artfully Sent cartridge.

Another one of my favorite techniques is a shimmer brush splatter! I stamped the sentiment from the same stamp set in Sapphire ink, and then flicked the Sapphire Shimmer Brush over it.

Here's the finished tag and envelope sleeve- these are being used as little notes for cast members as I have written little notes on the back for our opening night of West Side Story- we are the Sharks!

Ready to go- such a fun and easy way to make a marbled background for any project and the shimmer brush splatter is fun as well!

Thanks for stopping by!  Please continue onto Tamara's Blog where you will find her sharing her favourite technique.  Be sure to leave a comment and happy hopping!

Australiasian SOTM Blog Hop- Tutti Frutti Summer

Hello and welcome aboard our Stamp of the Month Australasian Close to My Heart Blog Hop. 

If you have arrived here from Scrappychicks then you are in the right place. 

If you landed here by accident, no problem, please join in by following the link at the end of this post. 

Today I would like to share with you a quick card that features Close To My Heart’s August Stamp of the Month, Tutti Frutti Summer.

I wanted to create a fun and easy card using this stamp set, so I used the grapes and random stamped them on White Daisy cardstock using Sangria ink. I then matted it on Sangria cardstock, added the sentiment onto the Stitched Circles, and added a Cricut cut wine glass to keep with the theme.

The thing I love about this card is that you could do the same with any of the other sentiments and fruits, changing up the colours and the Cricut cut- for example random stamping the lemons with Lemonade ink and using Lemonade cardstock, and using a pitcher of lemonade as the Cricut cut. I might even give that a try myself!

If you do not have a consultant please contact me or place an order here.

I'd love you to leave a comment before heading off to the next stop, Creative Inspirations.

Australasian Wander Blog Hop

Hello and welcome aboard our Wander Australasian Close to My Heart Blog Hop. 

If you have arrived here from Doreen then you are in the right place. 

If you landed here by accident, no problem, please join in by following the link at the end of this post. 

Today I would like to share with you a creation which features Close To My Heart’s July Featured collection, Wander. 

I love the outdoors aspect of this collection, as we go camping every New Year. I have created this single page layout as the opening page to my 2021 album.

I used the Wander Paper Packet as the base of this layout, and look at how cute the zip strip is! All the icons are so fun too, and match with the paper. I also added the title, the tent and the trees using the Cricut Wander Collection and cut them out using the Wander Coordinating Cardstock. 

I had fun with the stamps too- I used Peacock and Paprika inks to stamp some images onto my layout using the Wander Scrapbooking Stamp Set. The crosses, dotted line and Adventure title are all from the stamp set. 

The Happy title was also cut using the Cricut collection- I love how you can customize it with any colours you want to use!

If you do not have a consultant please contact me or place an order here.

I'd love you to leave a comment before heading off to the next stop, Scrappychicks.

Outdoor Borders Blog Hop

Welcome to our Stamp of the Month Blog Hop!  We will be featuring June's SOTM, which is Outdoor Borders, a set of 9 fun border stamps.  

If you have come here from ScrappinKaty'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.  If you get lost along the way, you’ll find the complete list of participating consultants on Melinda’s Blog. 

This month we have 16 Close To My Heart Consultants sharing their creations using this month's SOTM and other great CTMH products on their blogs. This 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!

Of course I was immediately excited about the hiking themed borders- perfect for our recent day out at the trails of the Adventure Park.

I have created this double page layout by pairing the Outdoor Borders SOTM with the Lovely Paper Packet. The Toffee patterned paper made a great backdrop for my photos, paired with Sage Cardstock. 

Here is a closer look at the left hand side- I paired this page with some Cricut Cuts from the You Are Here collection as the hiking boot matched the border! I also added in the adorable wooden bunny from the Hillside Cottage Shapes to keep the wood/nature theme going throughout my pages.

As well as using the 'over the hill' stamp across the whole 12 inch strip,  I added some sentiment titles to my page by chopping up the words. Look how cute those small boots are paired with the Cricut cut boot!

The right hand side is a mirror image of the first, with more Hillside Cottage Shapes and Cricut cuts to help the theme. I cut all of the Cricut cuts using Sage, Toffee and Espresso Cardstock. 

I added more of the border words by cutting a strip- the back to nature was stamped in Espresso ink and I love that the little tree matches my Cricut cut trees!

The full 12 inch border features again on the right hand side, which I stamped onto the Sage cardstock in Evergreen ink. It is such a fun way to create an easy border! Once again, a few wooden shapes and Cricut cuts were added to the page. 

Now "Hop" on over to Gina's StampinHeaven 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 June SOTM is only available until 30th June!  Contact your CTMH Consultant (or click here) to see how you can get this stamp set at a discount!

Dazzling Dimension Technique Blog Hop

Welcome to our Technique Blog Hop!  This month there are 12 of us highlighting different ways to add dimension to your projects.  This blog hop is a great big circle so you can start wherever you want and continue through to see all the fabulous artwork incorporating this technique.

If you are coming from Melissa's Blog, you are on the right track! 

I knew how I wanted to add dimension to my project- Cricut cut flowers from the Flower Market collection! I cut out a few different flowers in Grape, Lemonade, Avocado, Flamingo and Nectarine cardstock. I also added some Gold Glitter Gems to the centres of the daffodils. 

I added all of these flowers to the mason jar stamp set from the Eat Play Love Cardmaking stamp set, and also added the sentiment from the April Stamp of the Month, Scandinavian Folk Art Greetings. I used the Mix In Paper Packet for the polka dot background, accented with a strip of checkered paper from the Daisy Meadows Paper Packet and matted on Flamingo Cardstock. 

I got even more layers added to my card by popping everything up on 3D Foam Tape- such a quick and easy way to add dimension!

Thanks for stopping by!  Please continue onto Cat's Blog where you will find some additional artwork highlighting this technique!  Be sure to leave a comment and let me know what you thought of my variation and happy hopping!

April Stamp of the Month Blog Hop- Scandinavian Folk Art Greetings

Welcome to our Stamp of the Month Blog Hop!  We will be featuring April's SOTM, which is Scandinavian Folk Art Greetings, a set of 17 stamps.  

If you have come here from Becca'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.  If you get lost along the way, you’ll find the complete list of participating consultants on Melinda’s Blog.

This month we have 12 Close To My Heart Consultants sharing their creations using this month's SOTM and other great CTMH products on their blogs. This 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 wanted to share both a more traditional project and an out of the box project using this Stamp of the Month. 

When I first saw this set, I thought it would be perfect with one of the patterned papers in the latest Mix In Paper Packet that had a distinctly Scandinavian feel. I made a simple card using this paper as the background and then adding the sentiment from the Sentiments and Stitches stamp and the SOTM as well as the envelope onto a pennant. I stamped the sentiment in Candy Apple and the envelope in Fern, then added some rustic ribbon to the top to continue with the feel and theme of the card. I also added a small heart enamel gem to the middle of the envelope to add a pop of colour. 

I then went in a completely different direction with my layout and used the Daisy Meadows stickers and coordinating cardstock paired with the Stamp of the Month and the Flower Market Cricut collection. 

I stamped a row of the potted plants in Fern ink across the bottom of the page to create a border, and also stamped one of the flower stems under the title to create a visual line break. 

I cut a branch from my Cricut using Kraft Paper, and then stamped the little bird in Peacock ink from the SOTM onto the branch for a cute corner embellishment on this page. 

The Daisy Meadows flower stickers made for a beautiful floral embellishment behind my photo mats, and I also stamped some of the hearts from the SOTM around them to create a cluster. 

I hope this has inspired you on ways to use this stamp set- the floral elements are perfect for Spring and the sentiments are so versatile!

Now "Hop" on over to Gina'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!