Three Amigos April 2016 Blog Hop

Welcome to the Three Amigos Blog hop.  We are three Close to My Heart Independent Consultants with a love for stamping and scrapping and would like to share our creative ideas with you.  On the 3rd of each month we feature a different CTMH product and create a card, layout, or other project.  There are only three stops on this hop so it will only take a few minutes to hop through.

Sorry I am late to the hop today. We were out of town for ten days and arrived home late last night. My post will be short and sweet since I have to head out to a surprise party soon. This month we are featuring three tools. My tools are simple and something every paper crafter probably has on hand. I made a corner card using my paper cutter, a bone folder, and my micro-tip scissors.

My card is designed using the Kaleidoscope WOTG stamp set and background and texture paper. The finished card measures 4 1/4" x 4 1/4". You can find a video on how to make this card here.

I used a Wink of Stella pen on the stamped images. The camera didn't capture the shimmer.

Thanks for stopping by today. Be sure to check out Lisa's blog and Donna's blog to see what they made.

Three Amigos March 2016 Blog Hop

Welcome to the Three Amigos Blog hop.  We are three Close to My Heart Independent Consultants with a love for stamping and scrapping and would like to share our creative ideas with you.  On the 3rd of each month we feature a different CTMH product and create a card, layout, or other project.  There are only three stops on this hop so it will only take a few minutes to hop through.

This month's theme of "3" is to use three stamps on our project. With the Stampaganza 2016 promotion going on right now, this is the perfect theme. I put together a card using A1185 Friendly Wishes, C1638 Spring Critters, and D1465 Botanical Backgrounds.

My stamped images are colored in using the watercolor paints and our paintbrushes.

Since our stamps are clear acrylic, I was able to curve the "Just Because" phrase to follow the curve of the flag.

I brushed a small swatch of watercolor onto the inside of the card before stamping the sentiment.

Thanks for stopping by today. Hop over to Lisa's blog and Donna's blog to see what they have created for you.

Supplies Used:
A1185 Friendly Wishes
C1638 Spring Critters
D1645 Botanical Backgrounds
X7207B Penelope Paper Packet
1385 White Daisy Cardstock
Z2117 Crystal Blue Ink Pad
Z2162 Honey Ink Pad
Z2197 Pear Ink Pad
Z899 Tuxedo Black Memento Ink Pad
Z3132 Watercolor Paints
Z3188 Paintbrush Set
Z3207 Spring Critters Thin Cuts
Z2060 Thin 3D Foam Tape
X254 White Cards and Envelopes Value Pack
Z1934 Flamingo Dots
Z2012 Gold Sequins Assortment

March Already?

Hello!

March certainly seems to be coming in like a lion around here. After warm temperatures over the weekend, the weather turned cold and snowy again. I guess that's the perfect excuse to stay inside and stamp the day away!

This month is full of all kinds of crafting goodness. Stampaganza is back! If you've had your eye on a few stamp sets, now is the time to get them. Check out these featured products for March...

Stampaganza 2016!

Stampaganza is the best time to get our top quality My Acylix® stamp sets. Choose from dozens of designs!

Brighten Someone's Day with Penelope

These adorable pinwheels could cheer anyone up, and they're a cinch to make using our Penelope suite of products and a corner rounder.

• Start by rounding the corners on a square of Penelope paper.
• Cut a slit from each corner about halfway to the center to create two flaps at each corner.
• Fold one of the flaps at each corner to the center and fasten it there (we used hook & loop dots for a good, firm hold).
• Embellish to your heart's content!

To further personalize your paper pinwheels, back your paper squares with other patterned papers to get the exact look you want.

Get your Penelope products and try it for yourself.

Happy Stamping with March Stamp of the Month

The My Acrylix® Sunshine Birdies stamp set is only available during March—get it at a discount with your qualifying order!

If you have any questions about anything in this email, feel free to contact me.

Come back tomorrow and hop along with the Three Amigos Blog Hop!

Happy Stamping!

Three Amigos February 2016 Blog Hop

Welcome to the Three Amigos Blog hop.  We are three Close to My Heart Independent Consultants with a love for stamping and scrapping and would like to share our creative ideas with you.  On the 3rd of each month we feature a different CTMH product and create a card, layout, or other project.  There are only three stops on this hop so it will only take a few minutes to hop through.

This month's theme of "3" is to use three Background and Texture Papers on our project. I used papers from three different paper packs, Zoe, Georgie, and Charlotte to create a one-page layout. I think that's a first for me! You'll notice I also used a few retired products. I've been in the process of relocating my studio for the third time since our move back in August (third time's a charm, right?) and decided I really need to start using up a lot of my embellishments.

My layout design was inspired by a quilt I made for my mom a little over five years ago. The quilt is actually the subject of my layout. Mom loved the quilt and used it every day. Every time I snuggle up in the quilt, I think of my mom. On the days when I miss her most, I wrap the quilt around me, and it's like she's giving me a hug from heaven. Cappi and Truffles seem to be drawn to the quilt as well.

The border of the quilt has a chocolate colored background with large polka dots on it. I decided to mimic the look on the base of the layout with Chocolate Cardstock, a polka dot stamp from a retired stamp set called Hit the Spot (C1406), and embossing powder. I also wanted to give the layout the same feel as the quilt, so I ran the Background & Texture papers in strips down the page. I added a few penned stitch lines as well. The empty spot next to the small picture of the quilt is for journaling.

The title letters are from two retired sets we carried years ago. I inked the polka dot resits letters and the edges of the canvas letters with chocolate ink. I used the "You Are Here" wooden accent piece from the gold Fundamentals Assortment to point to the quilt to go along with the "Close to You" title.  I kept the embellishments simple since the quilt design was a little busy.

Thanks for stopping by today. Hop over to Lisa's blog and Donna's blog to see what they have created for you.

Supplies:
X7197B Zoe Paper Packet
X7203B Georgie Paper Packet
X7205B Charlotte Paper Packet
X5643 Chocolate Cardstock
X5639 Sweet Leaf Cardstock
Z2111 Chocolate Ink Pad
Z891 Versa Mark Ink Pad
Z3105 Fundamental Assortment- Gold
Z3102 Fundamental Assortment- Glacier
Z2068 Ranger White Super Fine Embossing Powder
Z555 Craft Heater
BULK364 3-D Hearts Sorbet (retired)
Z3041 Oceanside Sequins (retired)
Z1777 Canvas Alphabet (retired)
Z1261 Irresistibles Lots of Dots Alphabet (retired)
4206 My Legacy Writers Set (brown) (retired)

Three Amigos January 2016 Blog Hop

Happy New Year! Welcome to the Three Amigos Blog hop.  We are three Close to My Heart Independent Consultants with a love for stamping and scrapping and would like to share our creative ideas with you.  On the 3rd of each month we feature a different CTMH product and create a card, layout, or other project.  There are only three stops on this hop so it will only take a few minutes to hop through.

This year we are are working with a theme of "Three." We posted our first Three Amigos hop in September of 2013. Since we are in our third year, our projects will all have some element of three associated with them. Our challenge for this month is to use three colors featured in the new Charlotte Paper Pack. I designed my card using Whisper, Champagne, and Sorbet.

The Champagne mat is cut from the Paper Fundamentals Basic Assortment. If you look closely, you can see the subtle clear-embossed design. The flowers are a two-step (base and shade) stamp from the January SOTM, Beloved Bouquet. I stamped a second generation image of the solid (base) stamp by inking it up with sorbet ink, stamping on a scrap piece of paper, and stamping again on cardstock to create the softer color. I inked the outline image (shade) with sorbet ink and stamped directly over the second generation image on my cardstock. Both flowers are cut out and adhered to the card separately. The sentiment is from the new Take Heart stamp set.

I used the Paper Fundamentals to mat the inside of the card as well. I added a sentiment and a little repeat of the card front for consistency.

Here's a closer look at the front of the card. I added some retired bitty antiques pearls to dress it up a bit without detracting from the overall look of the card.

Thanks for stopping by today. Hop over to Lisa's blog and Donna's blog to see what they have created this month.

Supplies:

S1601 Beloved Bouquet

C1639 Take Heart

X5929 Whisper Cardstock

1385 White Daisy Cardstock

Z3128 Paper Fundamentals Basic Assortment

Z2164 Sorbet Ink Pad

Z2172 Whisper Ink Pad

Z2174 Champagne Ink Pad

Bitty Opaques Pearls (retired)

Three Amigos December Blog Hop

Welcome to the Three Amigos Blog hop.  We are three Close to My Heart Independent Consultants with a love for stamping and scrapping and would like to share our creative ideas with you.  On the 3rd of each month we feature a different CTMH product and create a card, layout, or other project.  There are only three stops on this hop so it will only take a few minutes to hop through.

This month we chose to make 3x3 cards. The size is perfect to add as a tag to a gift, to tuck into a lunch box, or just to brighten someones day. I am sharing two cards I put together with a few leftover scraps from the White Pines Card WOTG. I stamped the cards with images from the White Pines Scrapbook WOTG stamp set and sentiments from the new A Million Thanks stamp set.

On my first card, I stamped the holly and berry images onto the white sentiment piece and then again on a scrap piece of white cardstock. I cut the holly leaves and berries out from the scrap cardstock and popped them up over the stamped images on the sentiment piece with 3-D foam tape. It's hard to tell from the picture, but I added Gold Foil Tape above the strip of B&T paper to add some shine.

 I also used a glitter pen to highlight the sentiment, designs on the holly leaves, and berries. 

I used the tree image for my second card and added Fern Extra Thick Twine and Bitty Sparkles. The tree is also popped up with the 3-D foam tape.

I used the glitter pen and Gold Foil Tape to add a bit of shimmer to this card as well.

I wanted to make a third card, but it just didn't turn out.

Thanks for stopping by my blog today. Hop on over to Lisa's blog and Donna's blog to see what they created for you.

Three Amigos November Blog Hop

Welcome to the Three Amigos Blog hop.  We are three Close to My Heart Independent Consultants with a love for stamping and scrapping and would like to share our creative ideas with you.  On the 3rd of each month we feature a different CTMH product and create a card, layout, or other project.  There are only three stops on this hop so it will only take a few minutes to hop through.

This month we are featuring projects made with White Pines and/or Urban papers. When I attended the CTMH Making Connections event last month, we made a White Pines Picture My Life album. I can't wait to fill this album with daily pictures as we count down to our first Christmas in our new home. Today, I am sharing the cover page and the intro page for the album.

I used Shin Han markers to add color to the Picture My Life card that is the focal point of the cover page. The papers are all inked with chocolate ink. White Pines Complements, Poppy Extra Thick Twine, and Red Enamel Gems accent the page.

I change a few of the complement pieces in the cluster on the intro page. Once I place a picture in the photo spot, I will add an appropriate subtitle to the layout. This page will sit to the left of the first set of pocket pages in the album, which I will share as soon as I get them photographed.

Thanks for stopping by my blog today. Hop over to Lisa's blog and Donna's blog to see what they created!

Supplies:

X7200B White Pines Paper Packet

Z3176 Picture My Life White Pines Scrapbooking Program

X7200C White Pines Complements

Z2111 Chocolate Ink Pad

Z3094 Poppy Extra Thick Twine

Z3090 Red Enamel Gems

Z1151 3-D Foam Tape