Friday, December 30, 2011

H2H Dec challenge

Hello, I know I am almost to late to put in a entry for December, but here it is. I known what I wanted to do since I saw the picture that we were to use for our inspiration for this challenge. It was just getting the pictures and time to get the project done. And I finally accomplished that this week. Here is the picture that we were to use for our inspiration. We could take what we wanted from the picture, whether it be the colors, layout, ribbons, etc.
I wanted to use the circle element and also the monogram mainly, but I also incorporated the ribbons. Here is my creativity.
I used paper from Roxie for the big circle, painted a chipboard letter for my monogram. The base page is CTMH's Tulip cardstock, I misted with my own spray mist and then splattered some black acrylic paint randomly. Edge ink distressed in black also.
Close To My Heart products used:
      cardstock- tulip, desert sand, colonial white
      patterned paper - Roxie Level 2 paper pack
      Stamp sets - D1495 You & Me    journaling block
                          S1111 Cherish the Day   Month tag
                          C1422  Unity    phrase on tape
                          E1019 Bohemian Alphabet
     Just Blooms  Spring Blossoms
     Black button brads
I will be posting the other half of this LO later. Go to Heart 2 Heart challenges and check out what others were inspired to create.
                                                                             Blessing you with a wonderful creative new year,       Polly

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Rock the Block campaign special

Close To My Heart's Rock the Block campaign special begins December 19 and runs all the way through January. This campaign celebrates National Papercrafting Month which is in January. It also gives us a sneak peek of one item that will be in the Spring/Summer Idea Book set to release to you on February 1!
  How do you get this you say? Place an order of $25 dollars or more and for $15 more its yours. This includes the blank collage blocks and tray to decorate. The collage blocks and tray will be available in the new catalog and will be valued at $14.94. The second item is this super E-size stamp set. This is the 8.5" x 11" size stamp set, normally $29.95. The value of this offer is over $40! I love all the borders, sentiments, and background textures that will work so well with these blocks, but not only the collage blocks. I can think of so many more places to use them. This stamp set will not be in the new catalog so you'll need to get it with this special or be forever sorry :)
  Check out the video to see just what I'm talking about and get some ideas to get your creative juices flowing.



Oh the things that you can do with this! And in case your wondering how or who to order from...over on the right is a "shop with me" button!
Thanks for stopping by, Polly

Sharing From the Heart December blog hop part 2

  Another card I created for Sharing from the Heart December blog hop.
  If you arrived here from Lela's blog, then you are on the right track.
  A New Year's card. I cannot stop using my Art Philosophy Cricut cartridge. I cut the stars, tag and circle out with it. I used one of the stamp sets that comes with the AP cartridge for the star with the button on top of it. The tag is stamped with our Stamp of the Month for November. I stamped some texture background on the other two stars.

   All products are Close To My Heart except the red jute tied on the button.
      Elemental paper pack
      Inks:  Cranberry, Olive, Creme Brulee, Chocolate
     Stamp sets:  Cherish the Day November Stamp of the Month
                         Rock the Block ( for texture on stars)
                         Enjoy Life
                         one of the sets that come bundled with the AP cartridge
     wooden button
  
  Continue on this hop to Patti's blog. And if you've lost your way go to Diana Solings blog and the complete list is there.                                                    Polly

Sharing From the Heart December blog hop

 Joining in on theSharing from the Heart  December blog hop and if you've come here from Lela's blog then you are on track. I am using the Wonderland paper pack again. I am just really enjoying creating with it. This is a 4.25" x 5.5" card. I tried a technique that I saw on Stamp with Tammi. I changed it up a bit to work for what I had. I dropped one drop of Create-a-shade paint on a plate and then dropped one drop of reinker (same color as I wanted to stamp with) on top of paint and mixed it up good. I then inked up my stamp in the color ink I was using, in this case Cocoa, and then took a sponge dauber and daubed  the paint/reinker mixture on top of the stamp that's inked up. I love the subtle almost embossed look that it gives. Its almost like using shimmer mist, but without the more splotchy look. I used this technique on the words of the cup and on the mittens. I hope you can see it in the close ups.
   Other Close To My Heart products:
     Art Philosophy Cricut cartridge- the scalloped circles, the tag, and the snowflakes
     Wonderland  WOTG stamp set
     Pair-a-phrase stamp set for the sentiment
     Inks:  Twilight, Cocoa
     Prisma  Glitter




This last picture really makes the words look like they are embossed, but they're not. Now you can head on over to Patti's blog and check out her artwork.
If you've lost your way go to Diana's blog and the complete list is there.

                                                              Polly

Monday, December 12, 2011

An unexpected order

  Yay! I got an unexpected Close To My Heart order today! Our daughter does photography and when she gives her customers their proofs on a CD, she makes a pretty cover/envelope to put the CD in. I  helped her make several when I spent 6 wks up there this summer. Anyway, a customer of hers inquired about where she got the product to make them. She wanted to give a gift to someone who makes cards! So thanks Leticia! You can find Leticia photography at http://photographybyleticia.blogspot.com/. Go on over and enjoy some good photography. I need to take lessons from her.

December Stamp of the Month

Check out December's stamp of the month.  Mad About You. S1112 $17.95 or order $50 in product and get this stamp set for $5. You can order from me at  pollylewis.myctmh.com   The stamps you see outlined in red have a coordinating shape that can be cut with the Art Philosophy Cricut cartridge that we sell.

Holiday card

  I recently saw a card on Pinterest (yes, I'm addicted :( ) that I liked. I believe the card idea came from www. vervestamps.com. So here is my version. I completely changed up the the colors so that I could put this on http://dianasstampingchallenges.blogspot.com/ Color Dare #9. We were to use Pacifica, Sorbet, and/ or Cranberry. We could use all 3 or just 2 and we could add in neutrals. I really like blues for winter so Pacifica was my main color. I chose you use a little Cranberry and some Desert Sand for neutral. 
  Over at http://frosteddesigns.blogspot.com/ its all about Glitter on their Fabulous Friday Challenge. That's an easy thing to do when your doin a winter card. I sprayed my own white glimmer mist on the card base and then glittered up those cute little snowflakes. The ribbon has a metallic thread through it also.
  This weeks H2H Challenge is a virtual Holiday Card Exchange. And last, but not least, http://lisascreativecorner.blogspot.com/ has an Art Philosophy Cricut cartridge blog hop going on! I just can't resist using my AP cartridge for every project I do! I love this thing. On this card I cut the trees (both layers), the bracket, that teeny tiny tag, and those tiny little snowflakes. Is that not sweet?! I could have used it to cut every shape on this card!! Check out my other posts for lots more examples using the Art Philosophy cart. I am a fairly new blogger here so it won't take long to look at the rest. I think the card using the CTMH Sonoma paper is my favorite so far.

 If you haven't gotten your cards done yet and are still looking for ideas, here are some great places to find some.

Here is a close up, maybe you can see the glimmer mist and glitter on the snowflakes better.
                                                                                     

  Close To My Heart items- which can be ordered at my website:  pollylewis.myctmh.com
Cardstock: Pacifica, Desert Sand
Inks:  Pacifica, Desert Sand, Cranberry
Paperpacks: Dreamin, Elemental
Color Ready Borders
Stamp sets: Art Philosophy D1498,  Say It In Style D1283
Cricut cartridge: Art Philosophy

other:
Embossing folder: Swiss Dots
Glitter
my own glimmer mist
old sheet music
ribbon
                         May your day be blessed,     Polly

Thursday, December 1, 2011

Sketch time Winter card

This weeks H2H Challenge is a sketch
And here's my take on it.


I can't hardly do a project without stamping and using my Art Philosophy Cricut cartridge from Close To My Heart . This project used both and in fact all products are from CTMH. I love that company too!
Products used:
    Clear card  Z1323   (thus the glare on the card front)
    Wonderland Workshop on the Go  G1031   which comes with this gorgeous stamp set
    textured cardstock- retired
    Inks:  Twilight, Chocolate, Heavenly Blue, Cocoa
    Top Coats Icing Overlay   Z1468    the big snowflake-top layer of it
    Art Philosophy cricut cart.   Z1686    The large snowflake under the overlay
   My own glimmer mist on the white cardstock  using  Chocolate reinker, alcohol, shimmer acrylic paint

A whole new dimension is added when you use an acrylic card. Layers have to be thought out and adhesive or method of attachment. I added a couple extra photos so you could get a better idea of how this was put together. The textured cardstock was sanded and attached on the inside back. I put adhesive across the middle and then on the back I cut a strip of patterned paper to cover the adhesive. (I didn't take a picture of that.) CTMH's patterned papers are double sided and now they're cardstock weight! I added that piece to the inside front. I put adhesive so that the white cardstock pieces on front would cover it. White cardstock pieces where sprayed with my glimmer mist. The large snowflake design is given dimension with a pop dot.
You can order these products by clicking on the shopping button on the right.
Let me know what you think,      Polly