Have a Magical Day!

I found a little crafting time to complete a card for a couple of my favorite challenges.  I have had big crafting plans all week, but life has gotten in the way.  I have had the card in my head...just needed to get ink to paper!  My card is based on the sketch challenge this week at Freshly Made Sketches-

And the color challenge at Color Throwdown-

I finished out the inside as well.  I love the sentiment that comes with the Little Dreamer stamp set-

 

 

All supplies by Close To My Heart, except where noted:

Z3335 Little Dreamer Stamp Set/Thin Cut Bundle

X7219B Little Dreamer Paper Packet

X7219D Little Dreamer Coordinating Cardstock

Z2840 Thistle Exclusive Inks Stamp Pad

Z2841 Glacier Exclusive Inks Stamp Pad

Z2844 Pixie Exclusive Inks Stamp Pad

Circle Dies-Unknown

Pink Bling-Unknown

I have also entered my card in the following challenges:

Penny Black-All Creatures Great & Small

Simon Says Stamp-For a Child

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Heard It's Been Ruff...

This card did not turn out as I envisioned.....don't you hate it when that happens???  I could have redone it, but decided that it was worthy of sending....vs not sending.  I have thought of sending this card for a couple of weeks...so decided today was the day to get ink on paper and get it in the mail! I stamped my images with black pigment ink and clear embossed.  I then colored my image with Prismacolor pencils.

This could easily turn into a controversial post....but the basis behind my card really hit a nerve. A local vet is being criticized by the media for failing to euthanize a dog.  A boxer was brought to her to be euthanized because the family could no longer afford her care.  The vet offered them other options which they refused.  Fast forward six months and the family decides to get another dog.  They just so happen to find "their" dog at a rescue.  They called the media because they paid to have their dog euthanized and obviously the dog was not.  In the end, the family gets their dog back.  I feel the vet became a vet to save lives...not to put animals down because the owner can no longer afford them.  There are so many other options.  I am in shock that they want legal action taken against the vet.  If it were not for the vet's caring actions....they would not have had the option of reclaiming their dog.   Sadly, I don't feel they should have been able to reclaim the dog......really makes you wonder about the quality of life the dog will receive.  Two sides to every story...but I side with the vet on this one.  Shame on the media and the dog's owners.  I sincerely hope the vet is not sanctioned and can go on to continue to save lives.  And before anyone says, I have not been in their shoes.....I have taken animals to the vet and requested they be euthanized.  The surgeries they would have required were well more than I could afford to pay at that time in my life.....the vet did offer options and my animals either received alternate treatment or were taken in by a rescue that did have the funds for the required surgeries.  Not to mention if you had to take a member of your family to be euthanized, you would think you would stay with them until the very end...not just drop them off.  I am sorry, to me that speaks volumes.

I don't personally know any of the parties.....just felt the need to send a card in support of the veterinarian.  I have not posted a link to the original news story, as it appears to have been removed.  Since the original story has been removed, I have chosen not to list actual names in my "rant". Here is a look at the inside of the card.

Supplies by Close To My Heart, except where noted:
Doggy Kisses Stamp Set by Art Impressions
S1708 School Year Stamp Set
Black Cardstock by DCWV
Z1375 Kraft Cardstock
Black Pigment Ink
Z2088 Clear Embossing Powder
Prismacolor Pencils
Frame Die-Unknown
Z899 Black Memento Ink

I have entered my card in the following challenges:
2 Crafty Critter Crazies-Anything Goes w/a creature
Addicted to Stamps and More-Clean and Simple
Crafty Animals-Anything Goes
Dragonfly Dreams-Animals
Papercraft Happy-Anything Goes w/ an animal
Penny Black & More-Creatures

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Online Warehouse Sale-Week 2

We are on week 2 of the Fabulous Online Warehouse Sale! In case you have not had a chance to view the great items, which are all featured at 50% off....I have picked a couple of my favorites to showcase!

First up, is the Carnival Fun stamp set AND matching thin cuts for only $13.95!

Then we have the Basic Fundamentals Paper Pack AND Embellishments for only $18.43!

You can view all of the other sale items here!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

VersaMark vs CTMH Pigment Ink

I finished up my Golden Moments Card Kit this weekend! I first introduced them here.  I decided to step it up yet another notch, by adding some bling!  You can easily create the ten cards included in this kit in minutes if you put them together as is.  I completed my blinged out ten in about an hour.  That is so a record for me.  I think I sometimes spend an hour just picking out colors for my project.  I love the creamy Bashful paired with Gold.  While completing my ten cards, I was doing a bit of embossing.  The embossed sentiments go so well with the gold design.  I have been a crafter for over twenty years and VersaMark has always been my go to for heat embossing. For this project, I just felt like the finer lined sentiments were lacking when embossed, so I decided to do a little comparison.

I often emboss with colored pigment inks by Close To My Heart with clear embossing powder to get a clean colorful raised image.  But, if I am embossing metallics or white....I reach for my VersaMark pad.  A matter of habit, I suppose.  As of this weekend, that habit is broken!  I was not happy with the coverage I was getting on the thinner font and happened to have a Bashful pigment ink pad on my desk.  I inked up my sentiment with the pigment ink pad and look at the lovely results!  The pigment ink gives a much smoother embossed image.  Both ink pads are relatively new....I just feel the CTMH pigment ink pad holds the embossing powder better, resulting in a smoother finished image.  The pigment ink pads are normally sold in color sets of ten...but if you just wanted to try one out...you can purchase the Bashful pad as a single paid for $2.95.

I finished out the inside with more embossing and gold glitter!  While I changed up the card kit design, nothing went to waste.  The original cards that I cut in half, became the front and inside panel.  The leftover strips of gold glitter paper, became added bling for the inside of my cards.  This was a super clean project of ten cards, completed in about an hour!

All supplies by Close To My Heart, except where noted:
Z3395 Golden Moments Card Kit
B1537 Birthday Sparkles
M1186 Happy Birthday Stamp
1385 White Daisy Cardstock
Z3238 Gold Glitter Cardstock
Z2508 Bashful Pigment Ink Pad
Z2066 Gold Embossing Powder
Z3369 Bashful Pearls
Gold Sequins
Z3341 Thin Foam Pop Dots

I have entered my card in the following challenges:
A Gem of a Challenge-Birthday
Little Red Wagon-Favorite Products (Close To My Heart)
Seize the Birthday-Birthday

Sunny Day Crafting-E is for Emboss
Watercooler Wednesday-Feminine Anything Goes

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Birthday Sparkles

I love inking up my stamps with various colors.  I first ink my stamp with the lightest color and then add the darker color.  As long as you start with the lightest color, you should have no worries about mixing the ink on your ink pad.  If you fear ruining your ink pads, you could always sponge on multi ink colors instead of inking directly with your ink pad.  My card is created based on the Be Square Sketch Challenge at Sunday Stamps.  My card is 5 1/2 x 5 1/2".

I combined it with The Paper Players TicTacToe Challenge-

I went with the top row across (die cut, banner, birthday) though I could also do the diagonal of  blue, enamel dots and birthday.

All supplies by Close To My Heart except where noted:
B1537 Birthday Sparkles
1385 White Daisy Cardstock
X5967 Pacifica Cardstock
Z2892 Pacifica Exclusive Inks Stamp Pad
Z2895 Lagoon Exclusive Inks Stamp Pad
Birthday Wishes Paper Pack by Echo Park
Enamel Dots by Echo Park
Red Ribbon-Unknown
Square Dies-MFT

I have also entered my card in the following challenges:
Really Reasonable Ribbon-Anything Goes w/Ribbon
Seize the Birthday-Anything Birthday Goes w/tie it on topping

Thanks so much for stopping by!  Don't forget about the Warehouse Sale, happening all month in August, new items added every Tuesday at 50% off!

August SOTM-School Year

Where has the summer gone?  So hard to believe that school is starting in just a few short weeks....and has already started in other places!  The August Stamp of the Month is all about school, though many of the images could be incorporated into other projects.  Here is a look at the full set-

Spend $50 on Close To My Heart products and this set is yours for only $5!  You can view all of the great new products in my online store!  Don't forget to check out the Warehouse Sale while you are there, new products are added every Tuesday at 50% off during the month of August!

Thanks so much for stopping by!