Oh, I’m so excited about this blog hop! CTMH has done a great thing and has recently released a new supplemental catalog stuffed full of BRAND. NEW. PRODUCT!! There are nearly 40 consultants highlighting product from this NEW Seasonal Expressions Volume I Idea Book. If you’ve come from Sheila Bennett’s Blog, you are in the right place…if you’ve started here-Welcome!! This blog hop is a giant circle, so join in the fun by clicking the link at the bottom of my post to take you to the next consultant. If you happen to get lost along the way there is a full list of participants on Melinda Everitt’s Blog.

There is so much great new stuff in this new Idea Book, I didn’t even know where to begin! {If you haven’t checked it out, click here, to take a look!} I knew I was in trouble when I was flipping through the pages and I wanted one, or in some cases, two of almost everything!!! While I am in l.o.v.e. with the products in this new book, I really struggled with what to create! I finally decided on a layout that complements this layout I created earlier in the week. Because of CTMH’s color palette I was able to combine the two new paper packets {Hopscotch & Heartstrings}! Love that the paper packets complement each other so well!

 I started with a Whisper Cardstock base and placed the newsprint B&T Duo® from the NEW Heartstrings Paper Packet. I added a few doodily circles using Glacier Exclusive Ink™ and the NEW Doodled Designs Stamp Set. I used the Chevron Border Punch on the blue B&T from the same paper packet. Next I layered a journaling card from the NEW Hopscotch Picture My Life™. I cut the tag from the NEW Hopscotch Paper Packet (the Art Philosophy Cricut® Cartridge has a few great tags available!!) and added a sticker from the NEW Hopscotch Complements.

Now let me tell you about the placement of the tag….I love this picture of Aidan-his expression-the cake, but the hutch and dining chair in the background-not my fave! So I used a craft knife and cut a slit in the photo and slid the tag in the photo to cover up the hutch and the dining chair. It also made a great place for the title! The number comes from the Hopscotch Alphabet Stamp Set and the hashtag is from the Lol Stamp Set. After the tag was in place I added a washi tape sticker from the NEW Heartstrings Complements. The little red chevrons at the base of the photo are the leftovers from the blue B&T that I punched earlier. I just used the flip side of the paper! The “fabulously fantastic fun” is a zip strip from the NEW Hopscotch Paper Packet, and the “&” badge button is from the NEW Hopscotch Assortment. After I had everything laid out and adhered I really felt like the right side of the layout needed something. So I again used Glacier Exclusive Ink™ with the NEW Assorted Edges Stamp Set to create an edge along the newsprint B&T. For finishing touches, I added a little stitching and a couple Aqua Dots.

A couple things to keep in mind when checking out the Seasonal Expression Volume 1-pay attention to the icons next to the new products. A few items scattered throughout are time sensitive and will only be around while this Idea Book is live (December through March) so grab those items while they are still available.  The stamp sets and a few of the new embellishments will be sticking around, but the paper packets, WOTGs, the Cut Above™ kits, and a few other items will be retiring at the end of this Idea Book’s cycle. For more information and to shop from the NEW Seasonal Inspirations Volume I Idea Book contact your CTMH consultant or click here to shop now! Your next stop on our hop is Nikka Geers’ Blog!

-Kelly

Welcome to our Stamp of the Month Blog Hop! This month over 60 Close To My Heart consultants are displaying artwork from the December Stamp of the Month, Cutie Pie. If you’ve come from Kathy Burrow’s Blog you’re in the right place…if you’ve started here- WELCOME! This blog hop is a giant circle so you can join in the fun by clicking the link at the bottom of my post and still make complete trip around this hop. If you happen to get lost along the way, you can find a complete list of participants on Melinda Everitt’s Blog.

Two of my guilty pleasures are cruising Pinterest & Bloglovin’!!  I stumbled on this sketch on Pinterest from Page Maps and knew immediately I wanted to use it with December’s Stamp of the Month, Cutie Pie. Eeek!! All of the details of this sketch fit PERFECTLY with this month’s stamp set!! The biggest challenge was deciding what paper and photos to use!

I surprised myself when I chose to use the Heartstrings Paper Packet. I’m the mom of a six year old boy and we don’t do a lot to celebrate Valentine’s Day in our home. I have a few pics here and there from school activities, but other than that I just don’t have a whole lotta use for Valentine themed products. So I’m sure the moms of little boys can understand that pinks and reds are not usually my go to choices when buying paper. BUT I loved the blue hues & newsprint that were included in the Heartstrings Paper Packet and could envision other uses and it just so happened to work out for these photos.

Now let me quickly break down my layout… I started with a Whisper Cardstock Base, followed by multiple B&T Duos® from the NEW Heartstrings Paper Packet. I stamped the frames from the Cutie Pie SOTM Stamp Set in Black Exclusive Ink™ on a piece of B&T that gets it’s shape from the Art Philosophy Cricut® Cartridge. I used a waterbrush and Lagoon Exclusive Ink™ to create the ink splatter on the page. On the bottom right, I used the Keyboard Uppercase Stamp Set in Glacier Exclusive Ink™ and fussy cute them to look like alphabet stickers.

 The NEW Heartstrings Picture My Life™ card was the perfect size for my journaling.  {Notice the little heart around the day of the week…that little gem is also included in the December SOTM, Cutie Pie}  I know a lot of people struggle with journaling, but my struggle is titles. Where to place them, what to write, how big??? I ended up using the Artbooking Cricut® Cartridge and Lagoon Cardstock to create the title. After the title was cut I felt like I needed a little more dimension surrounding the title so I grabbed the NEW Doodled Designs Stamp Set & Glacier Exclusive Ink™ to create a backdrop.

On a scrap piece of Whisper Cardstock I stamped the cupcakes in Glacier Exclusive Ink™ and used a sponge dauber with the same color ink to create a little definition between the B&T Duo® and Whisper Cardstock. The cute little subtitle come from NEW Love Ya Silly Stamp Set in Lagoon Exclusive Ink™.

I tossed a few Aqua Dots and added grey stitching using my craft sewing machine. This layout is so adorable in person…I feel like it’s nearly impossible to catch it with a photo.

Remember, this stamp set is only available until December 31. For more information on how this stamp set can be yours for only $5 contact your CTMH consultant or click here to shop with me now! It’s now time to head to Michelle John’s Blog to see what she has created using this fun stamp set!

-Kelly