Creating with Jack

Obviously I am all about the monochrome look for Father's Day.  I love how the dual sided papers by Close To My Heart give you so many options.  In my previous post, I turned the beachy No Worries Papers into a monochrome woodsy card.  While I am still creating woodsy type cards, I went with the gray tones that can be found in the Jack Paper Collection. Jack has some fabulous colors, but I went with the monochrome gray with just a touch of color.  Here is a peek at the full paper packet-

My card is based on the sketch challenge this week at Try Stampin on Tuesday-

All supplies by Close To My Heart, except where noted:
D1703 Nature's Wish
X7222B Jack Paper Packet
X7222D Jack Coordinating Cardstock
X7222C Jack Complements
Z3314 Black & White Dots
Z899 Tuxedo Black Memento Ink
Z2503 Basics Pigment Inks
Rectangle Die-Unbranded

I have also entered my card in the following challenges:
Crafting by Designs-Animals
Crafty Purple Frog-Make it Manly
Cuttlebug Mania-Father's Day
Die Cuttin Divas-Campin Critters
Simon Says Stamp-Pattern Paper
Watercooler Wednesday-Masculine

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Goodbye to Mojo Monday

I was so sad to hear the news that Mojo Monday was closing.  While sad to see Mojo Monday go....I totally understand.  So much goes into running a challenge blog, especially one of the magnitude of Mojo Monday.  Mojo Monday comes up as the The Blog and to me, they are The Challenge Blog.  I started blogging in 2011......not really on my own free will.  I loved creating cards and scrapbook layouts....but unless you knew me or came to a workshop....no one ever really saw them.  Everyone kept telling me, you have to start blogging.  Honestly at the time, that was way outside my comfort zone.  It soon became a part of my life. I have met so many awesome crafters along the way.  But, honestly I felt my work did not compare to so many of the other bloggers out in blogland.  I was soon bitten by the challenge bug and started entering challenges.  Mojo Monday quickly became my favorite.  In February of 2012....I finally felt I belonged.  I was chosen as a finalist at Mojo Monday.  To this day, that is a huge milestone for me in blogland.  In 2012, the winners were hand selected...no random generators.  Here is a look at my card from way back when-

My life has been a rollercoaster the past few years and my blog reflects that.  You can see where I was actively blogging and then seemingly disappear from blogland.  I still love papercrafting and am working on having the time to once again create and enter challenges.  With my recent return to blogland.....I have attempted to keep up with Mojo Monday.  My thought has been, if I can get the Mojo Monday Challenge done...it is a good week.  Which is also why I was so sad to hear the news that they were closing.  There are a ton of great challenge blogs available now, but to me Mojo Monday will always be the best.  Thanks so much for the memories and the great sketch challenges......and thanks again for totally making my day by choosing my card as a finalist!

Here is the last sketch challenge, which ends today!

All supplies by Close To My Heart, except where noted:
D1703 Nature's Wish Stamp Set
X7220B No Worries Paper Packet
1385 White Daisy Cardstock
X5932 Cashmere Cardstock
X5642 Cocoa Cardstock
Z2503 Basics Pigment Inks
Square Dies-Unbranded
Burlap Ribbon-Unknown

I have also entered my card in the following challenges:
2 Crafty Critter Crazies-Anything Goes with a Critter
Aud Sentiments Challenge-Bingo (Ribbon, Stamped Image, Die Cut)
Cards in Envy-For the Man
Connie Can Crop-It's a Guy Thing
Crafty Purple Frog-Make It Manly
Cuttlebug Mania-Father's Day
Daisy Chain Challenges-Monochrome
Love to Scrap-Boyz Rule
Monochrome Magic-Anything Goes
Tuesday Throwdown-For the Men

Thanks so much for stopping by!

25% Off Cardstock in June!

Time to stock up on cardstock or try out some new colors!  All cardstock is on sale this month!  Take 25% off the retail price...which includes combo packs.  You can view all of the cardstock choices here.

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Got Ink???

It recently came to my attention, that some of you are unaware that Close To My Heart came out with a fabulous new ink pad design. While the design has been out awhile....you might have missed the redesign unless you have ordered new inks.  The old swivel pad design has been replaced with a larger pad in a magnetic case.  The ink pads are held together by a magnetic closure.  The pads are super easy to open and give you a large inking surface.  As an added plus, you can even easily stack your pads as well. The exclusive inks dye ink pad collection is available in 40 colors as well as archival black.  Reinkers are available for your pads and mixed media projects.

Close To My Heart also offers pigment ink to round out the color family.  The pigment inks are sold in color family sets and are perfect for all of your crafting needs.  Add clear embossing powder to any of your images stamped in pigment ink and have a rainbow of embossed colors.

We also carry specialty inks such as Versamark, Memento and StazOn.  You can view all of the ink options here.

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Freshly Made Sketches #291

I found a little crafting time this weekend...but with the storms outside.....my lighting is lacking to show off the true results.  I swear my pinks really do match and there is a subtle background stamped on my pink cardstock as well.  My card is based on the sketch challenge this week at Freshly Made Sketches-

And there is a new name in the blogland with their first challenge this week at TicTacToe-

I went with heat embossing, white and baker's twine....though I could also do circle, free spot and white!  My card is created with the June Stamp of the Month, S1706 Hello Foxy.

I heat embossed the circle wreath in white and then water colored my image.  With perfect lighting, my wreath is just a slightly lighter pink than my cardstock.  I also did some creative cutting on my stamp set.  While I like the Thankful for You sentiment.....I need more thank you cards...not exactly thankful for you cards.  One great thing about clear stamps, you can cut and shape them to your liking.  While I cut my stamp to say Thank You, it will easily go back together to stamp the original sentiment.  You can also curve your sentiments when placing on your blocks to achieve a different look.

All supplies by Close To My Heart, except where noted:
S1706 Hello Foxy
Watercolor paper by Crafter's Companion
X5788 Raspberry Cardstock
X5777 Fern Cardstock
3505 Watercolor Pencils
Z3224 Watercolor Brush
Z899 Memento Black Ink
Z891 Versamark Ink
Z2068 White Embossing Powder
Baker's Twine-Unknown

I have also entered my card in the following challenge:
Moving Along with the Times-Embossing
Wow Embossing Powder-Embossing

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Happy Birthday w/Distress Oxides

I have seen some awesome cards in blogland with the new Tim Holtz Distress Oxide inks.....so many that I finally caved and had to try them for myself.  If nothing else, blogland is certainly good for enabling!  I loved creating the background and kept the card on the simple side for the background to shine.  After reading some reviews, I decided to try blending with the Elf Make Up brushes.  At only $2 each, it was hard to go wrong.  While I know there are brushes of all price levels out there, I was quite pleased with the results from my $2 make up brush.  I even liked the results better than using the sponge blenders. 

After creating my background, I wanted a little more shimmer.  I mixed up a homemade brew of smooch spray and added a little glitz.  I used water, a touch of modge podge and some pearl ex powders for my shimmery sheen.  I had planned to do a black balloon with my Birthday sentiment....but considering the recipient was going to someone younger....I though a little color would be more age appropriate.

Supply List:
Z3304 Happy Birthday Thincuts Die by CTMH
1385 White Daisy Cardstock by CTMH
Black Cardstock by DCWV
Distress Oxide Inks by Tim Holtz
Sequins-Unknown
Balloon Die-Unknown
Embrodiery Thread
Makeup Brush by Elf

I have entered my card in the following challenges:
AAA-CAS Birthday
The Paper Players-Birthday
Just Us Girls-Die Cuts

Thanks so much for stopping by!