CTMH January Stamp of the Month Blog Hop

Welcome to the Close to My Heart Stamp of the Month Blog Hop for January! We have dozens of talented consultants participating this month - - which means tons of fabulous artwork ideas to inspire you! This month we are showcasing the "True Friends" stamp set - a set of 11 images! Enjoy!

(Hopping is easy to do, at the end of each post on the Hop there will be a link to the next blog!)

I absolutely love this stamp set - so I have a few projects to share with you today!

The first is a card box to hold A2 sized greeting cards.  I was inspired to make this project by last week's challenge on the Project Tuesday Blog. 

The card box is super easy to make & you can find a link to the template & instructions on the Project Tuesday site. 

Materials Used (all Close to My Heart, except as noted):

True Friends Acrylic Stamp Set - January Stamp of the Month

Simple Pleasures Level 2 Paper Pack

Cocoa Grosgrain Ribbon

Liquid Glass

Cardstock: Desert Sand, Twilight, Bamboo

Ink: Cocoa

Other - velcro for closure piece

My next project is the card that I made to go inside the card box.  The card design is simple - perfect to make a few of to put in the box and give as a gift!  The card design is this week's sketch at Clean & Simple Stamping.

Materials Used (all Close to My Heart):

True Friends Acrylic Stamp Set - January Stamp of the Month

Felicity Acrylic Stamp Set

Simple Pleasures Level 2 Paper Pack
Cardstock: Cocoa, Twilight, Colonial White

Ink:  Cocoa

Other - Adhesive Pearls (CTMH Promo item - not available to order)

And my third project is a layout featuring one of my favourite photos.  Some of my best friends took me out to dinner for my birthday this past September - we got this great shot to remember our night out!  The layout design is this week's sketch at the Design Dollies Blog. (Sorry about the crooked photography!!)

Materials Used (all Close to My Heart, except as noted):

True Friends Acrylic Stamp Set - January Stamp of the Month

Simple Pleasures Level 2 Paper Pack

Simple Pleasures Level 2 Stickease Pack

Cardstock: Cocoa, Bamboo

Ink: Cocoa

Other - Friendship sticker from my stash

Thanks for stopping by!! 
Now hop on over to LORI's BLOG to see what she has to share! 
If you get lost somewhere along the hop or find a broken link, feel free to refer back to the complete list of January's Hop Participants Here.

CTMH January Stamp of the Month Blog Hop Participants

I am happy to once again be participating in the Close to My Heart Stamp of the Month Blog Hop.
This month we are showcasing a fabulous set called "True Friends"!

The Blog Hop will be live on January 1st  . . . be sure to take some time to check out what ideas these talented consultants have to share with you.  If you get lost along the hop or find a broken link, feel free to refer back here at any time for a complete list of this month's participants.

Helen Onulak
Jena DeVries
Jessica Booth
Carla Ironside (you are here)
Lori Miller
Misty Jackson
Jen Patrick
Susan Brooks
Kathleen Androlewicz
Dawn Ross
Amy McVey
Antoinette Herrin
Jill Lucas
Barbra Otten
Lori Brown
Brae Montgomery
Wanda Riley
Adeline E. Brill
Kami Welter
Judy Burger
Pamela O'Connor
Cindy Leek
Mary Eisen
Sylvia Jacquot
Laura Dame
Melissa Laverty
Haley Dyer
Terrie Dodd
Katy Donaldson
Chris Shouse
Tammy Lea Pinchard
Krista Ritskes
Shannon Pelletier
Deb Young
Amy Edwards
Sheila Bennett
Kristie Herdener
Jen Rubio
Jody Gustafson
Sarita Schraeder
Laurie Levnik
Debra Van Patten
Kimberly Smith
Michelle Nist
Karen Norman
Traci Godbee
Nancy Brown
Maricar Harris
Nona Davenport
Laurie Newton
Dawn Heuft
Melissa Burch
Kim O'Rear
Michelle Bourlet
Angela Tutton
Jenifer Benner
Shirley Ross
Latisha Haag

CTMH BackCountry Layout - the Ironside Men

My take on Sketch #84 from Creative Scrappers.  I love this pic taken of my hubby, his brother & his dad (over 14 years ago!!) 

 

Materials Used (all Close to My Heart):

• Back Country Level 2 Paper Pack
• Rustic Alphabet Acrylic Stamp Set
• Dimensional Elements Borders
• Dimensional Elements On Target
• White Love Letters Rub Ons
• Cardstock: White Daisy, Outdoor Denim, Crystal Blue
• Ink: Outdoor Denim
• Other: Stars are Dazzling Die Cuts (a 2008 promo pack - no longer available to order)

Be sure to check back here on January 1st for the CTMH January Stamp of the Month Blog Hop  . . . tons of artwork ideas for the "True Friends" stamp set!

CTMH Event Calendar to get ready for the New Year!

Here is a CTMH Event Calendar that I recently made.  These are perpetual calendars you can use year after year to make note of birthdays, anniversaries and any other dates you don't want to forget.  Decorate them as you wish! 

Mine was inspired by one done by Jen Rubio.

I used all CTMH papers & stamps on this project - but there are so many different ones, I am not going to list them all here.  If you have any questions about any products I used - please just send me an email (csironside@shaw.ca). 

So happy to get back in my craft room this week now that all the festivities are over.  Feels great to be creating again.  Will have more new artwork to post soon!!

Merry Christmas!

Wishing everyone a wonderful Christmas spent with family & friends!

Carla

CTMH Jingle & Mojo Monday #118

A few last Christmas cards to make . . . this one is for my daughter's Grade 1 teacher!  I made this to accompany a 'group gift' that several families will be giving her this week. 
Love this week's sketch at Mojo Monday!

Materials Used (all Close to My Heart, except as noted):

• Jingle Level 2 Paper Pack
• Christmas Melodies Acrylic Stamp Set
• Classmate Alphabet Acrylic Stamp Set
• Heartfelt Wonder Die Cuts
• Brads - Essential Assortment
• Brads - Spring Blossom Assortment
• Cardstock: Tulip, Black, White Daisy
• Ink: Olive, Tulip, Black
• Other:  Olive Ribbon from my stash, Foam tape, Glue Dots

Thanks for stopping by!!

Quick & Easy Card with CTMH Jingle

If you have just a few more cards to whip up for the people on your list - here is a quick & easy one for you!

This card was inspired by Melissa Inman.  The 'hustle & bustle' of the season is starting to descend upon me!! I seem to have so much I need to do before Christmas Day the days are just rushing by!  So I looked for a simple card design to put together those last few cards I need.  My finished card measures 6x6 inches and the four squares of patterned paper are 2.75" x 2.75" each.   I inked the edges of my papers in black ink.  Add a sentiment & a festive embellishment & you are done!  (You can't really tell in the photo - but the letters "i" are both dotted with bitty sparkles!)

Materials Used (all Close to My Heart):

• Jingle Level 2 Paper Pack
• Wonderful Season Acrylic Stamp Set
• Heartfelt Wonder Die Cuts
• Twinkle Brads Jolly Assortment
• Clear Sparkles
• Foam Tape
• Cardstock: Blush & White Daisy
• Ink: Tulip & Black

Hope everyone is enjoying the season, despite all the 'hustle & bustle'!  My posts here will be a little sporadic over the next few weeks as we spend the holidays with our family & friends . . . but I promise to be back to regular posts once January comes around!

CTMH's Felicity Collection - Celebrate National Papercrafting Month

January is National Papercrafting Month but Close to My Heart is starting the celebration early!
Starting today - you can get this beautiful kit which features decorative die-cut paper, three gorgeous colour schemes, and an exclusive D-sized stamp set which includes flowers, flourishes, argyle patterns, birds and an entire alphabet!

There are so many ways to get your Felicity Collection:
 - Purchase it at the full retail price of $40.95 Cdn.
 - Place an order of $70 or more in full-retail priced stamp sets and receive Felicity for FREE!
 - Place an order of $145 or more in full-retail priced CTMH products and receive Felicity for FREE!
 - Hostesses who host a home gathering with sales totals of $470 or more will receive Felicity for FREE!
 - Join my 'Creative Canadians' Close to My Heart team between January 1 - 31 and receive Felicity for FREE in your New Consultant Kit!

Shop online 24 hours/day on my Website to take advantage of this special offer or email me at csironside@shaw.ca to place your order or book your gathering!  Interested in more information about the Close to My Heart opportunity and how you can get a discount on ALL of your CTMH purchases - contact me or click here for more information!

Check back here in the coming weeks for new artwork featuring Felicity!

CTMH Evensong and Paper Piecing

I received the inspiration for this card from a Paper Piecing article on the Scrapbooks Etc. website.
I used this week's sketch from Card Patterns.  Love this sketch - all those straight lines are exactly my style!!
(Sorry about the poor lighting in the photo - we are getting a major snowstorm (again) today - so the sky is completely clouded over - leaving me with very little natural light)

I made the tree by cutting several different green patterned papers into strips (of different lengths and widths) and then layering them to form the tree!  Love the effect!

Materials Used (all Close to My Heart, except as noted):

• Evensong Level 2 Paper Pack
• December Word Puzzle Acrylic Stamp Set
• Holiday Craft Buttons
• Colonial White Grosgrain Ribbon
• Cardstock:  Sorbet, Cranberry, New England Ivy, Colonial White, Chocolate, Buttercup
• Ink: New England Ivy
• Foam Tape (to pop dot the star on the tree)
• Glue Dots (to attach the button ornaments)
• Other: glitter from Shimmerz

CTMH Jingle & Mojo Monday #116

Circle elements are always a challenge for me (for some reason I'm a 'straight-line' kind of girl!) - - but I decided to push myself to give this one a try anyway . . .

Materials Used (all Close to My Heart):

• Jingle Level 2 Paper Pack
• Holiday Trinkets Acrylic Stamp Set
• Heartfelt Wonder Die Cuts
• Clear Sparkles
• Twinkle Brads Jolly Assortment
• Designer Ribbon Rounds Ricrac Collection
• Cardstock: Creme Brulee, Twilight, Tulip, White Daisy
• Ink: Twilight

CTMH Wishes Cards for Christmas

Here are a few cards I created using designs from the CTMH book Wishes. These cards meet a few challenges for this week. First - the color challenge over at KJ's Stamp Pad which is red, white & green. They also meet the "anything Christmas" challenge over at Practical Scrappers.

This first card uses the "Sentiment Secured" design from Wishes.
Materials Used (all Close to My Heart):

• Evensong Creative Basics paper (no longer available to order)
• Evergreen Acrylic Stamp Set
• Clear Sparkles
• Bulk Card Bases with envelopes
• Cardstock: Cranberry, Colonial White
• Ink: New England Ivy, Chocolate

This card is the "All Stacked Up" design from Wishes.
Materials Used (all Close to My Heart):

• Holiday Hoopla Acrylic Stamp Set
• Simple Stitches Acrylic Stamp Set
• Cardstock: Olive, Cranberry, Colonial White
• Inks: Olive, Cranberry

And finally, this card is the "Long Layers" design.
Materials Used (all Close to My Heart):

• Evensong Creative Basics Paper (no longer available to order)
• Jingle Borders
• Holiday Trinkets
• Cranberry Grosgrain Ribbon
• Other - gold bigger brad from my stash
• Cardstock: Colonial White, Cranberry, Olive
• Ink: Olive, Cranberry

CTMH Aspen Card for Amy's Challenge

I finally had a chance to put something together for Amy's challenge. Amy is the daughter of my blogging friend Sarah. Amy put out a challenge last week to use this fabulous sketch she designed.

Here is my entry:

Materials Used (all Close to My Heart, except as noted):

• Aspen Level 2 Paper Pack
• Shining Star Acrylic Stamp Set
• Peace on Earth Acrylic Stamp Set
• Dimensional Elements Flurry Collection
• Cardstock: Twilight
• Inks: Creme Brulee, Outdoor Denim
• Other - Shimmerz

Thanks for the sketch Amy! Great job!

CTMH Jingle Peek-a-boo Treat Box

I saw this template a few weeks ago on Project Tuesday. You can find the link to the instructions there! A cute little box for gift giving! I filled mine with white scotch mints . . . one of my favourites! My box is pretty plain (because I don't have much time to play today) - but you could embellish these up as much as you wish!

Materials Used (all Close to My Heart):

• Jingle Level 2 Paper Pack
• Holiday Hoopla Acrylic Stamp Set
• Twinkle Brads Jolly Assortment
• Cardstock & Ink - Tulip
• (I used a Martha Stewart punch for the scalloped circle)