HOME

One of my monthly purchases from Close to My Heart was Camper Crazy Occasions set (C1578). But it has just been sitting in the pile of purchases from that month (this stamp set goes great with the Timberline kit). So today, I decided to be inspired by this stamp set to make a card. 

I started with collecting scraps of papers from the Skylark collection. I used Cocoa ink (Z2114) to stamp the sentiment and the camper image. I used my Spectrum Noir markers to color the camper image. Finally, I added ribbon from my stash. 

I love the way this came together, and it was so easy to do.

Challenges Entered
My Craft Creations: Anything Goes
No Just Cards: Anything Goes
Through the Craft Room Door: Anything Goes
Crafting by Designs: Anything Goes
Little Red Wagon: Home is Where the Heart Is

Hello Wonderful

It's that time for me...  realizing that some of my favorite papers from Close to My Heart are being discontinued. I have some papers left from the Skylark collection and the Ivy Lane collection. 

These papers are just gorgeous, and I didn't realize how well they worked together. Immediately, I knew I wanted to make a card for my husband. I like to sneak cards into his briefcase every now and then. 

My inspiration came from this fantastically versatile sketch from the Fantabulous Cricut Challenge Blog. The cupid die cut in the center of the circle is from the CTMH Cricut cartridge, Artbooking. These beautiful glossy 3D flowers are also from the Ivy Lane kit. I used the CTMH stamp set, Hello Wonderful Flair, B1443. Get it HERE.

This design is easily recreated with any papers.
Want the Cricut Design Space file for this design? Just follow my blog and leave me a note in the comments section. 


Challenges
Fantabulous Cricut Challenge Blog: Sketch
Glitter and Sparkle: Love or Wedding
Pals Paper Arts: Color Challenge
My Craft Spot: 3D flowers
The Crazy Challenge: Love and Marriage

In Minutes

Do You Have It?

USE IT!

CTMH kits make it so easy to put together a project in minutes. I wanted to make my husband a card to put in his briefcase as a cute surprise. We've had some great fun this summer, and I want to remember this summer forever. Being so busy, I had very little time to put something together. No problem. I took out my Skylark kit** and went to work. It doesn't hurt that I know my CTMH Cricut cartridges by heart. This cut file of a couple holding hands was definitely my focal point, but everything else snapped together in minutes because the kit is designed to work together. 

The stamped sentiment is from the CTMH Take Note Cricut Bundle set (D1574) in Ponderosa Pine ink. 

**The Skylark kit is now retired, but you could use any number of different styles and patterns to achieve the same effect. 

Want the exact circle sizes and the couple cut. Follow my blog and click on the link below. https://us.cricut.com/design#/canvas/project/19163718

Need Supplies, Just follow this LINK.

Challenges
Alphabet Challenge: M is for Men
Aud Sentiments Challenge: Type of Thinking of You sentiment.
DRS Designs Rubber Stamps: Chevrons

Just a POP of color

If you are following along with me, you know that I'm enjoying the geometric patterns in the CTMH Skylark kit. The color palette is subtle and muted, but there are some fabulous pops of colors. I'm taking advantage of ever little bit of color to make my work POP as well. Follow my blog and get my simple Cricut file that goes along with this design.

  

When I saw this pattern with the birds perched along the top, I was instantly inspired because I knew that the Cricut CTMH cartridge Artbooking had a similar cut. I took advantage of this to create interest by making the birds blue and adding adding dimension to them as they are lifted off of the perch. I also used the blue as a mat between the kraft card and the patterned paper. The rest of the embellishments came right out of the Skylark kit. The stamp is from the Believe in Yourself Everyday Life (C1574) with Desert Sand ink. The ink is so perfect; the sentiment blends in exactly how I wanted.

Here is a link to the bird cutting file all sized and ready to be cut in Cricut Design Studio.
https://us.cricut.com/design/#/canvas/project/19156453 

 Need Supplies, Just follow this LINK.

Take Heart Ideas Challenge 2

Wow - We had quite the turn out for our first challenge. The projects were fantastic, and now it is time for Challenge 2, and we have a fabulous prize waiting for the winner, so get out your CTMH products and start playing. Remember, Take Heart Ideas requires you use some products from Close to My Heart, and you can include CTMH Cricut cartridges as products if you would like. You can make anything you want in any style or theme. The challenge starts today, July 30, and ends on August 24th.

***Chance to win Blog Candy... read until the end!

Even though the theme of the challenge is anything goes, the Design Team used this sketch for our sample projects. I love sketch challenges, but I end up getting way too inspired and deviate from the sketch - but isn't that the beauty of a sketch!

I immediately went to my Skylark stash because I find the geometric patterns so versatile. The only problem was, once I started, I found two colors that I wanted to work with... and ONLY those two. I felt the yellow pattern was gorgeous with the teal-ish blue. The embellishments were made to work together. I started with the frames, then added embellishments for the journaling box, and added a sentiment where a title would be. Then I added different circle embellishments - all from the Skylark kit around the frames. 

The base sketch gave me the inspiration that started the entire project, but once I had everything ready to go, I realized that something else was needed. The embellishment title was a little too light. While I loved the two toned colors, I need something darker - brown maybe - to break it up and give the work a direction. I liked the way the two die cut "titles" had a blockish feel to them, especially against the frames, and I loved the inadvertent rhyming. 

All of the elements used were from the Skylark kit. The die cuts are from CTMH Cricut Artbooking. Want to buy these supplies, click HERE.

WAIT, there is more... Follow my blog, and leave a comment letting me know you followed, and I will pick a random follower to win a stamp set from CTMH!!! Winner will be announced when the challenge ends.  (US residents only.)

Ready, Set... Scraps

Running out of Skylark supplies? Good thing I saved my scraps. Most of us crafters safe our scraps. We're trained to remember that a piece of 4x4 cardstock could save the day in a month or a year. We can't waste it. The same goes for patterned paper; it is harder to find a use for a piece of bold patterned paper that is 2x3. It tends to sit around longer. 

Not this time! I decided I wanted to use my patterned paper scraps from my Skylark kit before they became faded by the sun or wrinkled sitting with the other scraps or forgotten. That's why I turned to my Cricut (follow my blog and get a free cutting file). I used my CTMH Artbooking cartridge to make a summertime themed card for my husband. 

Instead of using cardstock for the sunny sky, I used the scraps of this great geometric pattern. For the tree - I truly did use a 2x3 stash of the green chevron-style pattern. The bird from the Skylark kit was so perfect because it also had a geometric pattern to it, and fit perfectly into the style. The sentiment stamp is from the Skylark set, and I used Cocoa ink. This soft brown blends in so seamlessly. 

The shapes from these particular Cricut cuts were so unique, and the patterned paper from the Skylark kit only enhanced the design. Want to try it yourself. Follow my blog, and click on the link before. It's for Cricut Design Space. Everything is sized for you. 

https://us.cricut.com/design/#/canvas/project/19057308 

Need Supplies, Just follow this LINK.