Welcome to the November Stamp of the Month Blog Hop!  We will be featuring November's Stamp of the Month, Capture the Date, a set of 72 stamps.  If you have came here from Beth's Blog, you are on the right path.  The blog hop is a great big circle, you can start here and work your way around.  If you get lost along the way, you can find a complete list of participating consultants here.


 Close to My Heart is having an awesome promotion with the November Stamp of the Month.  Place a qualifying order to purchase the Stamp of the Month for only $5, and you can chose another stamp set of your choice for 50% off! Your half off stamp set is your choice from any of the current A,B,C,D,E or M stamp sets! If you have been waiting to try the alphabet stamp sets, now is the perfect time to add one to your collection! The promotion is valid from November 1, 2012 (9:00AM MST) through November 30, 2012 (11:59PM MST).

 I incorporated November 22 from the Capture the Date stamp set to make one layer of my background paper.  I used the Thanksgiving stamp from the So Grateful set for my additional layer.  I fussy cut my pumpkin and layered onto my Perfect Fit Frame, which was cut with the Art Philosophy cartridge.  I folded down the top edge of my burlap strip to give my card a cleaner finish.  My card is based on the sketch challenge this week at The Paper Players-



I added an additional layer of pattern paper from the Florentine Paper pack to finish out the inside of my card.  The colors are perfect for Fall.



All supplies by Close To My Heart:
Z1686 Cricut Art Philosophy
S1211 Capture the Date
D1527 Perfect Fit-Frames
B1395 So Grateful
X7153B Florentine Paper Pack
1243 Goldrush Cardstock
X5642 Cocoa Cardstock
1388 Colonial White Cardstock
Z2503 Basics Pigment Ink Set
Z2502 Enchantment Pigment Ink Set
Z1760 Burlap Ribbon

I have also entered my card in the following challenges:
Celebrate the Occasion-Fall
Kaboodle Doodles-Fall

We have almost 70 consultants participating in the blog hop!  Hop on over to Wanda's Blog to see her artwork.  Be sure and continue on with the hop for more stamping inspiration!  Get your set before it's gone!  The last day to order is November 30, 2012.

Happy Halloween to everyone.  Hope everyone gets lots of treats!  This is officially my last Halloween card of the season!  When I saw the sketch at Freshly Made Sketches, the Perfect Fit Halloween stamp set instantly came to mind. I just turned the squares into circles to complete my card. I couldn't resist another showing of my little bling spiders.  Here is a look at the original sketch design-


I stamped all of my images in black pigment ink and embossed in clear. A small strip of pattern paper from the Spellbound Halloween kit finishes off the inside.


All supplies by Close To My Heart, except where noted:
G1040 Spellbound Cricut Kit
B1413 Perfect Fit-Halloween
Z2503 Basics Pigment Ink Set
Z821 Clear Embossing Powder
Z2427 Autumn Terracotta Marker Set
Z2415 Honey Marker Set
Bling Spider-MM
Black Ribbon-Unknown
Dots Embossing Folder-Provocraft

I have entered my card in the following challenges:

ColourQ-Halloween Colors
Creative Inspiration Paint-Happy Halloween
Critter Sketch-Color Challenge
H2H-Halloween/Pumpkin
Just Some Lines-Halloween
Sentimental Sundays-Pumpkins
Top Tip Tuesday-Halloween
Use it Tuesday-Use Orange (My hoarded supply would be my bling spiders, they were stashed away for a few years and have been making numerous appearances this Halloween!)

 The Very Merry Christmas set is only available through October 31, 2012.  This is a great set for the upcoming holiday season and it coordinates with the Cricut Artiste cartridge.  You will be able to make cards and gift tags in bulk with ease!  You can add this set to your collection for only $5 with a qualifying purchase!  If you are placing your order online, don't forget to click on join the Nov Mystery Hostess link to be entered into the drawing for the hostess benefits!  You will receive one entry into the drawing for every $25 in products that you purchase.  You can also place your order via e-mail.  Have questions???  Contact me.

Week 39 at Merry Monday!  If you have been playing along every week, you should have 38 Christmas cards all ready to go!  If you have yet to start your Christmas cards....your time is quickly running out! Here is the original sketch design-

Some of you Close To My Heart fans might recognize the paper that my card was created with.  It is the Avonlea Collection.  It is not advertised as a Christmas collection, but I think it pulls off the theme well!  Here is a look at the complete collection of papers-

I think the medallion shape mimics snowflakes quite well! I added a layered snowflake with some bling for an added festive touch!  I was a little leary of running the glittery paper through my Cricut, as the glitter was a little rough.  I ended up cutting my snowflakes out with the Snow Flurry die by SU. The Merry Christmas sentiment was cut with the Cricut Artiste cartridge.


I finished out the inside with a little more bling from the Shimmer Trim by Close To My Heart.  My saying is from MFT.  I thought the sparkle sayings was perfect for my card.  I first inked my stamp in Lagoon ink and then rolled the edges in Pacifica to get a shade close to my card.


All supplies by Close To My Heart, except where noted:
Z1790 Cricut Artiste Collection
X7155B Avonlea Collection
1388 Colonial White Cardstock
Z2195 Lagoon Ink
Z2192 Pacifica Ink
Z1802 Slate Polka Dot Ribbon
Z1799 Silver Shimmer Trim
Inside Sentiment-MFT
Snow Flurry Die-SU

I have entered my card in the following challenges:
52 Christmas Throwdown-Embellishment
ABC Christmas Challenge-Up to U
Amusing Challenges-Anything Goes
Christmas Card Challenges-Pop It Up (Each layer of my snowflake is popped up)
Crafty Ann's-Christmas
Crafty Ribbons-Christmas
Dream Valley Challenges-Glitter & Bling
The Crafty Pad-Christmas
Whimsy Stamps-All things Sparkly

Wow, how time has flown.  We have reached the last Saturday in October.  With it, brings a new color challenge at Dynamic Duos. This posting is bittersweet....sadly it is the last posting for the current design team...yet I am so excited to see the new design team coming on next week.  Please be sure and join us this week for our monochromatic color challenge featuring More Mustard and so Saffron.  I chose Goldrush and Buttercup from Close to My Heart with brown and colonial white as my neutrals.



My card is based on the sketch challenge this week at Sweet Sunday.



My leaf is stamped in Rich Cocoa Ink by Memento onto watercolor paper.  I then colored my image with watercolor pencils and blending with a waterbrush.  After my image dried, I turn my image over and ran a stylus over the leaf image.  In person, my leaf image is popped slightly off the card by the dry embossing.  It adds just a slight bit of dimension to the card.  I achived  my woodgrain background, by inking up my woodgrain embossing folder with goldrush ink and then embossing onto goldrush cardstock.  This gives you a slight tone on tone look.  It adds so much more to your card than simply dry embossing.


I stamped the same leaf image onto the inside of the card in second generation ink, masking off the sentiment.


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

A1130 Bountiful Season
D1283 Say It In Style
1388 Colonial White Cardstock
1243 Goldrush Cardstock
1271 Buttercup Cardstock
Early Espresso Cardstock-SU
Watercolor Paper-Archivers
Z2123 Goldrush Ink
Rich Cocoa Ink-Memento
3505 Watercolor Pencils
Button-Provocraft
Z1760 Burlap Ribbon
Woodgrain Embossing Folder-SU
Fishtail Dies-MFT

I have entered my card in the following challenges:
DRS Designs-Autumn Greetings
Inky Impressions-Fall
Pattie's Creations-Autumn
Penny's Challenges-Ribbon/Buttons
Simon Says Stamp-Autumn Leaves
Stamp N Doodle-Ribbon/Twine
Wags N Whiskers-Fall

The Mystery Hostess Winners for the month of October have been selected.  The winner for the Close to My Heart Mystery Hostess Gifts is Teresa! Teresa won $40 in free products and the opportunity to purchase any one item in the catalog for 50% off!  Congrats Teresa!

Since we all love free crafting supplies, I will be having a monthly mystery hostess gathering.  Orders placed via the Mystery Hostess link online and orders placed via e-mail are eligible for the drawing.  You will receive one entry into the drawing for every $25 in products that you purchase. If you are placing an order online, please click on join November Mystery Hostess gathering to be entered into the drawing.  Here is a screen shot of where you click to enter the drawing. If you have any questions, please contact me!



The winner for the Jamberry Nails October Mystery Hostess is Carla! Carla won her choice of one sheet of nail shields!  Here is a peek at some of the winter holiday designs, that would be perfect for the upcoming holidays!

To enter the monthly hostess giveaway for Jamberry Nails, you can place your order via e-mail or online.  Online orders need to click on join Nov Mystery Hostess from the checkout page.  Here is a screen shot showing where to enter.

All nail shields are currently Buy 3, Get 1 FREE!  You will see a credit in your shopping cart for every 4th nail shield you order! Thanks so much for your continued support.  Contact me anytime with questions!

Time for a new sketch at Freshly Made Sketches.  I created my card with help from the Pear & Partridge Rub-Ons Collection.  My mittens are actually rub-ons and I added some red trim to make them stand out.  I created the coordinating side panel by dry embossing Colonial White cardstock and then coloring the dots to match the pattern on the mittens. My sentiments are from the October Stamp of the Month, Very Merry Christmas.  I just love the font style on this set!  This set is only available in October and can be yours for as little as $5 with a qualifying purchase!  Here is a look at the original sketch design by Narelle-
I layered my sentiment on the inside to finish out my card.  You can easily change out the sayings in this stamp set with just a little masking of the sentiments.



All supplies by Close To My Heart, except where noted:
S1210 Very Merry Christmas
X7162B Pear & Partridge Paper Pack
1388 Colonial White Cardstock
X7162C Pear & Partridge Rub-ons Collection
Z2116 Cranberry Ink
Z1361 Red Assortment Brads
Retired Cranberry Ribbon
Fishtail Dies by MFT
Circle Stax Dies by MFT
Dots Embossing Folder by Provocraft

In case you have yet to see it, here is a look at the full set of the October Stamp of the Month...only a few days left to add it to your collection! All of the shapes coordinate with the Cricut Artiste Collection.


And a look at the complete set of rub-ons.  I know many of us never give a second look to the rub-on embellishment sets.  These are so easy to apply and you can have great looking projects in no time at all!

I have entered my card in the following challenges:
Creative Craft Challenges-Three (Brads)
Pile It On-Holidays
Totally Papercrafts-Christmas

Time for a new sketch at Merry Monday.  It is almost scarey how fast Christmas is approaching.  If you have yet to start your Christmas cards...your time is running out!  My card is created with Smokey Plum, which is a shade of purple.  My camera skills are lacking in taking the photo though!  I am sure to you my card looks like I have used one color for my ink, another for my paper and another for my ribbon.  In person, they are the same shade!  I always craft at night...so natural light photo attempts!  Here is the original sketch:


The stamps are from the October Stamp of the Month, Very Merry Christmas.  I inked my ornament with Smokey Plum pigment ink and clear embossed.  I then swiped Pearl paint into the un-embossed area to add some shimmer.  You will have to take my word for it...I don't see any shimmer in the photo either!  At least my bling still blings!


I finished out the inside as well.  The pattern paper is from the Moonlight paper pack.  While the paper pack is more so for Halloween, I thought the purple colors worked well for a Christmas card. 

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

Z1790 Cricut Artiste Cartridge
S1210 Very Merry Christmas
D1520 Ornamental Cheer
X7161B Moonlight Paper Pack
X5929 Whisper Cardstock
Z2502 Enchantment Pigment Inks
Z821 Clear Embossing Powder
Z1360 Rhinestone Brads
Z1752 Clear Sparkles
Retired Organdy Ribbon
Dots Embossing Folder-Provocraft

I have entered my card in the following challenges:
ABC Christmas Challenge-Up to You
Catered Crop-Circles
Christmas Card Challenges-Bows
Emergency Crafters-Recipe (Gems, Ribbon, Die-cut)
Paper Crafting Journey-Add Some Bling
Pile It On-Holidays
Totally Papercrafts-Christmas

I took a break from Halloween and Christmas cards to play with my birthday stamps that coordinate with the Cricut Artiste cartridge. I made a circle shaped card for the Circle Round Challenge at Catered Crop. My card was based on the sketch challenge this week at Incy Wincy Designs.

My scalloped circle card base was cut with the Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge.  All of my other shapes were cut with the Cricut Artiste cartridge.

Supplies by Close To My Heart, except where noted:

Z1790 Cricut Artiste Collection
Z1686 Cricut Art Philosophy Collection
X5762 Lagoon Cardstock
X5642 Cocoa Cardstock
Fine & Dandy Paper-My Minds Eye
Ribbon-Pebbles
Z2114 Cocoa Ink
Z2195 Lagoon Ink
Z1753 Brown Sparkles
Z1752 Clear Sparkles
Z1333 Mocha Adhesive Gems
Z2427 Autumn Terracotta Markers
BG49 Duck Blue Copic Sketch

I have also entered my card in the following challenges:
Alota Rubber Stamps-Birthday Celebrations
Crafty Ribbons-Children's Birthday
Creative Inspirations Paint-Anything Goes
Hiding in my Craft Room-Die Cuts
Hotshot Crafts-Bling It On
Lollipop Crafts-Happy Birthday
One Stop Craft-Anything Goes
Natalie & Amy's Challenge-Birthday Bling
Papercrafting Journey-Add Some Bling
Stamptacular Sunday-No Rules
Totally Gorjuss-Bling It On

Time for my favorite challenge at Dynamic Duos!  The week is our Black Tie event with the dessert option of adding die cuts! We want to see your creations with Pumpkin Pie and Basic Black.  Dessert is optional-adding die cuts! I created my bold patterned Halloween card with the Spellbound Cricut Kit, using Sunset and Black by Close to My Heart for my color duo.  I added slate as my neutral color.


My card is designed based on the sketch challenge this week at Mojo Monday-

Design Tips-My base background is stamped in black pigment ink on Sunset cardstock and embossed in clear powder.  Coordinating shapes were cut with the Cricut Artiste cartridge.  My owl was stamped with black pigment ink on Sunset cardstock and then clear embossed.


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

Z1790 Cricut Artiste Collection
G1040 Spellbound Cricut Kit
B1413 Perfect Fit-Halloween
Z2503 Basics Pigment Ink
Z821 Clear Embossing Powder
Googlie Eyes-SU

I have entered my card in the following challenges:
4 Crafty Chicks-Dry Embossing (My card has both dry and wet embossing!)
Aud Sentiments Challenge-Use Halloween Sentiment
Crafty Catz-Halloween
Divas by Design-Spooky
Eureka Stamps-Halloween/Spooky
Simon Says Stamp-Eerie Inspiriation Photo
Sparkles Forum-Halloween
Stamp n Doodle-Anything Goes