CTMH Australasian Stampaganza Blog Hop

Hello and welcome aboard our Stampaganza Australasian Close to My Heart Blog Hop. If you have arrived here from Meryl's Blog, Mez's Craft Room, 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 this layout featuring FOUR stamp sets, all of which are available under the March special of buy 3 stamp sets, get one free!

I wanted to create an earthy feel to this layout of our Boxing Day picnic, so I started off by watercoloring some frogs from Spring Critters and stamping some of the flowers from Shower Flowers. I fussy cut them to create my own colour coordinating embellishments for my layout.



More flowers and frogs are scattered around the layout. I also stamped a background from Season of Thanks across the cardstock to create a background for my title, which I stamped using Handwritten Print.



Here is the finished layout, complete with journalling. I used a PML card from the Regatta WYW and also fussy cut the tag from the card to create my journalling tag. Some Fundamentals Paper and Flaxen cardstock were all I needed to complete my layout.



I love how easily you can colour, ink and use techniques with stamps to match whatever layout, photos and colours you are working with.

This stamp offer is only available until 31st March from your CTMH consultant. I'd love you to leave a comment before heading off to the next stop,  Denise's Blog, Scrap Stamp Share.

CTMH supplies used:
Cardstock: Flaxen, White Daisy
Ink: Chocolate, Flaxen, Glacier, Pear, Sunset
Paper Packets: Fundamentals Adventure Assortment, Regatta
Stamp sets: Handwritten Print, Season of Thanks, Shower Flowers, Spring Critters

Life is a Highway

Continuing with this month's theme of Life Is..., we are celebrating Life Is A Highway this week at Heart 2 Heart challenges.

I have always wanted a yellow car, and so I created this card that appeals to my wishes!



The car was cut from the Cricut and then I stamped the lady behind the wheel using a hostess stamp set, which you can get at a cheaper price this month with the CTMH July special.

I then stamped a tree in the background to give some depth and movement to the card, and added some glitter to the headlights for that extra sparkle. I can definitely see myself behind the wheel!

We would love to see your interpretation of this week's challenge, join in with us at H2H!

CTMH supplies used:
Cardstock: Black, Canary, Desert Sand, White Daisy
Cricut Cartridge: Artfully Sent
Ink: Black
Stamp sets: Always Grateful, Better With A Friend (Hostess), Fast and Furious

ABC Blog Hop- O

Welcome to the Everything ABC's Blog Hop!

For this hop we will be featuring the letter O. This may be the name of a paper, a stamp set or an embellishment. Whatever the crafter has chosen as their O element will be featured in their post.

If you came from Darlys then you're on the right track!

For my technique, I decided to showcase Ombre stamping, which is also known as generation stamping. I also thought Outside the Paper Packet, using a Winter/Christmas set for a birthday layout.

I inked up a flower stamp with Outdoor Denim Pigment Ink, and then stamped three flowers without re-inking the stamp each time. This way, I get three different colours of flower from one ink application. This is a great way to get lots of tonal features in a card or layout, and also works well when you want to create a cluster of the same image.



Here is the completed final layout, although the group photo has been blanked out due to privacy reasons.



I put my ombre flowers at the top and bottom corners of my layout, to help draw attention to where the journalling will be and also to balance the page.

You have reached the end of the Everything ABC'S Blog Hop, but if you did not start at the beginning then your next stop will be Linda of Scrappy Therapy.

In case you get lost along the way…go to Scrappy Therapy for a complete list of participants!

CTMH supplies used:
Cardstock: Champagne, Colonial White, Glacier, Slate
Embellishments: Frosted Complements
Ink: Outdoor Denim Pigment Ink, Slate
Paper Packet: Frosted
Stamp sets: Documenting Moments, Lovely Birthday

Jump On It July Blog Hop

Welcome to our July special Blog Hop!  We will be featuring artwork today with the Hostess stamps, which are all on special this month when you purchase $32.50NZD worth of current stamp sets.

If you have come here from Darlys' 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.

Today we have over 30 Close To My Heart Consultants sharing their creations using tHostess Rewards stamp sets 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 decided to use the Better With a Friend Hostess Reward stamp set, perfect for the shopper, fashionista or anyone girly!

The first card was coloured using our ShinHan markers, and I created the leopard print and dress stripes by experimenting with the Colourless Blender Pen. I also used another Hostess Rewards stamp set, Be Jolly, to stamp the sentiment onto a handbag cut from the Cricut Artfully Sent cartridge.



The second card was paper pieced for the dress, hat and handbag, and I used two more of the Cricut cut handbags to add additional interest to the card.



This stamp set is so much fun to experiment with, whether you use paper piecing, colouring or any other medium to create your perfect shopper.

Now "Hop" on over to Nikka'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, this special is only available until 31st July!  Contact your CTMH Consultant (or click here) to see how you can get this stamp set at a discount!

Life Is Wonderful Worldwide SOTM Blog Hop

Welcome to our Stamp of the Month Blog Hop!  We will be featuring July's SOTM, which is Life Is Wonderful, a set of 8 stamps.  

If you have come here from Pam'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 over 45 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!

Today I have created a simple card using the July SOTM and the Cricut. I have been playing with the ShinHan markers and coloured in some flowers, and then thought they would be sweet on this card!



I added some words from another stamp set to create my desired title on this card,.You can also see I embossed the Wonderful sentiment to give it some extra pop. 

Now "Hop" on over to Judy'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 July SOTM is only available until 31st July!  Contact your CTMH Consultant (or click here) to see how you can get this stamp set at a discount!

CTMH supplies used:
Cardstock: Whisper, White Daisy
Cricut Cartridge: Artiste
Inks: Archival Black, Black, Crystal Blue Pigment Ink
Markers: Colourless Blender, Light Cerulean Blue, Marine Blue, Pastel Green
Stamp sets: Flowers for Mum, Life Is Wonderful, Lovely Birthday

Happy Everything- Operation Smile

Operation Smile is a private,  not for profit organisation providing reconstructive surgery to children and young adults born in developing countries. Close to My Heart released our Seasonal Expressions Idea Book and on the back page of this Idea book you will find the D- sized, Happy Everything  stamp set. By purchasing this set at full retail price  of $33NZD you can help change the life of a child as CTMH will donate $US3 from your purchase to Operation Smile.

Today we will be sharing some inspiration using "Happy Everything". We hope you will be compelled to purchase this set and in so doing, contribute to the life changing work of Operation Smile.

If you came from Patricia's blog you are on the right track, otherwise follow the link at the end of this post to take you around the posts. I you get lost, a full list of participants can be found here.

I created a set of three cards, perfect for a birthday or just because.



The first birthday card is a base of the Blossom paper, with an extra flower stamped and fussy cut at the bottom. I have used a strip of glitter paper on it, and finished off my adding the sentiment in Sunset and Lagoon ink.



The second card uses the other side of the Blossom paper packet, along with a strip of the Paper Fundamentals. I fussy cut some more flowerrs and added them to the card, as well as two stamped sentiments and some Baker's Twine to finish.



For the third card, I random stamped the base of a card in Sunset pigment ink, then coated in clear embossing powder and heated to create a shiny finish. I then added the Pear leaves. Another strip of Blossom paper helped to anchor the sentiment, and I added some sparkle as well.



Here are the finished cards- I would love to know which one is your favourite!



Now hop over to Vandra's blog, Vandra's Virtual CTMH Classroom, to see what she has created!

ABC Blog Hop- L

Welcome to the Everything ABC's Blog Hop!

For this hop we will be featuring the letter L. This may be the name of a paper, a stamp set or an embellishment. Whatever the crafter has chosen as their L element will be featured in their post.

If you came from Linda then you're on the right track!

For my L technique, I wanted to use a Layered Collage Stamping background for a card. I have usually seen these done with travel themed stamps in sepia tones, but thought I would change things up a bit and use shades of blue.

I started off by cutting a 4 x 5 1/4 piece of cardstock.




I then started random stamping some flowers, using tone-on-tone stamping, until I was happy with the placement of the flowers.



Taking a darker colour (Lagoon) I then stamped some border patterns across the cardstock.



The next step was to add these birds using a pigment ink, which I then covered with clear embossing powder.



This photo shows the embossed birds, which add an extra layer to the collage.



I filled in the gaps with a darker blue decorative stamp.



Sponging the edges in the darkest colour makes the stamped background look slightly more worn and vintage.



I kept the sentiment small so that all the different stamps would be the star of the card. I also sponged around the sentiment to keep with the collage/vintage theme.



Here is the finished card, with the collage mounted on a white card base.



I am really pleased with how this turned out, and can't wait to try this with other stamp and colour combinations.

Your next stop on our Everything ABC'S blog Hop is Catherine of CatScrapbooking.

In case you get lost along the way…go to Scrappy Therapy for a complete list of participants!

CTMH supplies used:
Cardstock: Glacier, White Daisy
Embellishments: Clear Embossing Powder
Ink: Crystal Blue, Indian Corn Blue Pigment, Lagoon, Twilight
Stamp sets: Angel Friends, Happy Birds, Love Clusters, Wild Wonders

Warm versus Cool

I am a Southern Hemisphere girl, so the weather is feeling particularly chilly right now! Every morning I wake up in need of a piping hot coffee to see me through the school run, and at the end of the week I love to wind down with a movie and a glass of wine whilst rugged up in a blanket.

These two items were first on my mind when I saw this week's Color Challenge of Warm versus Cool for Heart to Heart challenges. I already had a plan to scrap these two drinks together, which are also warm versus cool, so the layout came together quite quickly.



Coffee- I will drink it any way, I am not fussy as long as it is piping hot! I loved this little speech bubble from the now retired Hopscotch Complements, and the pop of yellow in the background from a fundamentals paper pack as well as the red photo mat complements the cooler blues and greens.



This title breaks up the two photos, and I then have my chilled wine- once again I drink all types of wine so I am easily pleased! The globe was stamped and fussy cut, and I added a pocket page card to show I like to have a drink every day of the week- not necessarily alcoholic of course but it is so nice to sit down for five minutes with a drink and a magazine. The little housewife strip had been lying in my stash for a while so I had to add her in as the page has a desperate housewife vibe going on!

Here is the full layout. I love the patterned paper green strip with the wet look splatter and drink ring, and all the little embellishments that don't seem to go together but I feel they work well on this page.



This was such a fun layout to make and I really enjoyed it, as I was documenting a part of everyday life rather than a special event or milestone. I would encourage you all to try a layout based on your day to day routines and little pleasures, as these are the layouts that can get your creative mojo back and you can do what ever you like with them!

If you have a warm versus cool idea in mind for a card, layout or other papercraft project, be sure to share it with us at Heart 2 Heart challenges!

CTMH supplies used:
Cardstock: Crystal Blue, White Daisy
Embellishments: Hopscotch Complements, Wanderful Complements
Ink: Black, Glacier
Paper: Paper Fundamentals Whimsy Assortment
Stamp set: Here We Go

Ice Cream Dream Worldwide SOTM Blog Hop

Welcome to our Stamp of the Month Blog Hop!  We will be featuring June's SOTM, which is Ice Cream Dream, a set of 7 stamps.  

If you have come here from Vicki'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 just over 60 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 loved the main sentiment in this stamp set, but had no icecream photos to use. Not one to shy away from using a stamp set, I simply masked out the word icecream on my layout and created a milkshake banner for my title. Using Chocolate and Pear inks, these two colours worked well with my foodie layout.

I had lots of fun colouring in the different stamps, and this little dog looks so cute next to my sequins cluster.



Here is the icecream sundae, which I also colured with the ShinHan markers and fussy cut. Matched with the Seaside papers, I wanted it to stand out and so I used a bright purple topping.



Here is the finished layout, complete with journalling and photos of us all enjoying a milkshake on a hot day!

Now "Hop" on over to Traci'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 June SOTM is only available until 31st June!  Contact your CTMH Consultant (or click here) to see how you can get this stamp set at a discount!

CTMH supplies used:
Cardstock: Pear, White Daisy
Embellishments: Coral Reef Sequins
Inks: Chocolate, Pear
Markers: Markers: Barely Beige, Peony Purple, Turquoise Blue, Warm Grey
Paper packet: Seaside
Stamp sets: Handwritten Print, Ice Cream Dream

Ice Cream Dream S1506: CTMH Stamp of the Month Australasian Blog Hop

Hello and welcome aboard our Stamp of the Month Australasian Close to My Heart Blog Hop. I am the start of this blog hop, or you may have arrived here from Anne's blog, Mummy You Made This?- either way 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 this card, which features the June Stamp of the Month Ice Cream Dream, available exclusively throughout June for $33 or for just $5 when you spend $75.

I am trying out the ever popular Masking Tape technique, which I feel gives a fun background to my card.

I started off my placing a piece of masking tape over my ink pad.



I then placed the inked strip of masking tape on a piece of cardstock and pressed it down.



I did the same with two more ink colours, rubbing them down well.



When I pulled the strips of masking tape off, I was left with this fun striped accent.



I then stamped the ice cream over the strips of ink, and added a sentiment from the stamp set as well. These three colours definitely remind me of summer and ice cream!



I added some Flamingo Dots and matted on cardstock to complete the card. Simple but fun!

Ice Cream Dream is only available until 31st June from your CTMH consultant. I'd love you to leave a comment before heading off to the next stop,  Shaunna Richards' blog, Passionate About Pages.

CTMH supplies used:
Cardstock: Colonial White, Pear
Embellishments: Flamingo Dots
Ink: Canary, Chocolate, Cotton Candy, Pear
Stamp set: Ice Cream Dream

Tutti Frutti

This week we are looking for some Tutti Frutti fun at Heart 2 Heart challenges!

The new Taste of Summer paper packet is perfect for this, but anything related to this theme is welcome.

I used some scraps from the TOS paper packet to create this card, complete with a sweet little bee flying across the paper.



The Brushed paper goes well with the Taste of Summer, and I also added some chevron stamped patterns and the Operation Smile stamp set. Even though it is winter here, this card reminds me of lemonade and summer!

CTMH supplies used:
Cardstock: Canary, White Daisy
Ink: Black, Canary, Pear
Paper: Brushed, Taste of Summer
Stamp sets: Happy Everything, Have A Happy Day

ABC Blog Hop- J

Welcome to the Everything ABC's Blog Hop!

For this hop we will be featuring the letter J. This may be the name of a paper, a stamp set or an embellishment. Whatever the crafter has chosen as their J element will be featured in their post.

If you came from Marie then you're on the right track!

I decided to use the Quick Card stamp- Japanese Blossom for my background technique. The quick card stamp is very intricate and can become the main focal point when you use it.



The card featured on page 107 of the Annual Inspirations ideas book was my springboard for this card.

This is only my third attempt at colouring using the ShinHan markers, and every time I use them I am getting more confident. I layered pink and purple shades on the flower, and then layered yellows and greens for the inner flowers and leaves. The inner part of the flowers was actaully done in a bright blue layered over the pastel green marker.



The end card only required some little pops of coloured cardstock and matching ribbon. And some shimmer trim of course, I love my bling!



This Japanese Blossom stamp is such a bargain at only $12NZD, and the colouring possibilities are endless!



Your next stop on our Everything ABC'S blog Hop is Darlys of Crafty Happy.

In case you get lost along the way…go to Scrappy Therapy for a complete list of participants!

Card dimensions:
Base: 4 1/4 x 5 1/2 inches
Striped purple paper: 3x3 inches
Glacier cardstock: 3 1/4 x 4 1/4 inches
Thistle cardstock: 1 x 5 inches
Shimmer Trim: cut at 5 1/4 inches
Ribbon: 9 inches
White cardstock: 2 5/8 x 2 3/4

CTMH supplies used:
Cardstock: Glacier, Thistle, White Daisy
Embellishments: Gold Sequins, Purple Shimmer Trim, Thistle Diagonal Striped Ribbon
Ink: Archival Black
Markers: Barely Beige, Pastel Green, Peony Purple, Turquoise Blue, Vivid Green
Paper packet: Paper Fundamentals Whimsy Assortment
Stamp set: Japanese Blossom