Welcome to the June Stamp of the Month Blog Hop!  We will be featuring June's Stamp of the Month, A Flowering Bunch, a set of 10 stamps.  If you have came here from Jen'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.

I love the fabulous line drawn images found in the June Stamp of the Month.  I stamped my image in black and then colored in with the Exclusive Inks Markers.  After I colored my image, I sponged in the cloud and grass background. The flower garden stamp was perfect for the sketch challenge this week at CAS(E) this Sketch!



I kept the inside blank to leave more room for a handwritten sentiment.



The June Stamp of the Month can be yours for only $5 with a qualifying Close To My Heart purchase.  You can see all the details on my Current Specials page!

All supplies by Close To My Heart, except where noted:
S1306 A Flowering Bunch (June Stamp of the Month)
X7163B Chantilly Paper Pack
1385 White Daisy Cardstock
X5927 Ruby Cardstock
Tuxedo Black Ink by Memento
Z2165 Sky Ink
Z2153 Sweet Leaf Ink
Z2417 Cotton Candy Markers
Z2429 Ruby Markers
Z2404 Sweet Leaf Markers
Z2415 Honey Markers
Z2402 Sky Markers
Z2410 Gypsy Markers 
Fishtail Dies by MFT

We have over 60 consultants participating in the blog hop!  Hop on over to Joy'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 June  30, 2013.

Thanks for stopping by!

May 2013 Stamp of the Month: Pinwheel(S1305) 

Jen M has a great sketch for us this week at Freshly Made Sketches.  The panel was perfect for my wild west themed stamps!  Here is the original sketch design....feel free to dress it up or down!


The western themed sentiment stamps from My Favorite Things are some of my favorite sentiments.  I need this quote framed!

All supplies by Close To My Heart, except where noted:
Wild Wild West Stamp Set by MFT
Retired Sarsaparilla Papers
Z2104 Barn Red Ink
Z1753 Brown & Tan Sparkles
Scallop Border Punch-SU

I have entered my card in the following challenges:
Clear It Out-Critters & Earth Tones (My papers have been stashed away for years!)
Eureka Stamps-The Great Outdoors
Use It Tuesday-Anything Goes (Papers have been hoarded away!)

Thanks so much for stopping by!  Hope to see your take on the sketch this week at Freshly Made Sketches!

Our challenge theme this week at Papercraft Star is handmade flowers.  Any creation is fair game, just be sure to include a handmade flower.  Here is the inspiration photo, which is use if you choose.


My card is based on the sketch challenge this week at The Paper Players.  My crafting time has been limited lately, so I combined a few of my favorite challenge sites for my card.  Here is the original sketch design-


The colors and patterns in my card were chosen based on the inspiration photo challenge at Just Us Girls Challenge.  I love the yellow, grey and white color combination!

I  kept the inside of my card blank to leave more room for a hand written sentiment.


All supplies by Close To My Heart, except where noted:
D1482 Love Life Stamp Set (Swirls)
D1187 For Every Occasion Stamp Set (Sentiment)
Retired Dotty For You Paper Packet
X5929 Whisper Cardstock
1385 White Daisy Cardstock
1271 Buttercup Cardstock
Z2173 Slate Ink
Tilth Flower Die-Memory Box
Retired Goldrush Brad

Thanks so much for stopping by!  Hope to see your handmade flower creations at Papercraft Star this week!

I am so thankful to be having a three day weekend.....because I am clueless what happened to Saturday and Sunday.....they just flew by!  We are back with a new sketch this week at Merry Monday.  Once again, I put my pattern paper to work for me on the sketch design!  I dug deep into the stash and came up with this pattern paper by Debbie Mum.  It was a lonely single sheet of paper.  Fortunately it was double sided with a coordinating print!  I would not go seeking it out at a craft store near you....I am sure the paper is at least a decade old!  One less piece of paper in the stash!  Here is the original sketch for you to play along with-



My signature panel on the inside!  Great use for those little scraps that you have laying around!


Just about everything on this card was from the stash and mostly long retired.
Papers-Debbie Mum, CTMH Vineyard Berry, Colonial White
Stamps-Retired Pear & Partridge Set, Clearly Sentimental About Christmas-MFT
Inks-Retired Vineyard Berry Ink
Ribbon-Unknown
Dies-MFT

I have entered my card in the following challenges:
Dilly Beans-Dots
Jingle Belles-Holiday Ribbon Around the Christmas Tree

Here is a sneak peek of one of the new stamp sets from the Fall 2013 Close To My Heart Idea Book!  Close To My Heart is releasing this stamp set early with all profits from the sale of this stamp set being donated to the Red Cross to aid tornado victims in Oklahoma!  This super cute stamp set is available for $2.95 in my online store!  I have mine on order....will be posting card samples soon! 

Jennifer has a cute sketch for us this week at Freshly Made Sketches.  I just love the variety of cards that the DT created with it! I created a fun summer card, the bright colors and pinwheels just make me smile!  Here is the original sketch, can't wait to see how your interpret it!

My card was created with one paper pack, Dream Pop, and one stamp set, Pinwheel!  Both of these items are part of the May Scrapbooking Month promotion by Close To My Heart.  You can read more on my specials page.  They are only available while supplies last in the month of May!


All supplies by Close to My Heart, except where noted:  
S1305 Pinwheel (May Stamp of the Month, only $5 with qualifying purchase!)  
CC1024 Dream Pop Paper Packet (May promo-only $10 with qualifying purchase!)  
Z2503 Basic Pigment Ink  
Z891 VersaMark Ink  
Z821 Clear Embossing Powder  
Z673 White Daisy Embossing Powder  
Flower Brads-Making Memories

I have entered my card in the following challenges:
Card Mania-Spots and/or Stripes (My card has embossed stripes)
Glitter n Sparkle Challenge-Bright Funky Colors
Paper Playtime-Buttons or Brads 
  
Thanks so much for stopping by!  I posted a blog candy giveaway earlier in the week, just in case you missed it, you can enter here!

Deanne has a great challenge for us this week at Papercraft Star.  I expect to see a wide variety of entries in the challenge!  She picked out this awesome inspiration photo and wants you to show us what you find beautiful.


While I find the inspiration photo striking...I decided to go with the theme of what I find beautiful.  Currently the inspiration photos are totally optional at Papercraft Star.  We will be changing the format in June, but for now they are use if you choose!  I find beauty in all creatures, but have a special fondness for horses.  The moment I saw the theme of the challenge, I knew I would make a card featuring horses in some way.  If you have followed my blog for any amount of time, you also know I have a great fondness for the Dakota paper line by Close To My Heart.  The Dakota line works especially well with all of my horse stamps!




Hemp twine is great for adding rustic accents to your card without adding a lot of bulk.  I rolled a length of twine to create a lasso for an embellishment on my card.  I simply knotted the ends to tie it all together.


Creating barb wire is easy peasy with hemp twine.  I first cut my twine to length, then I go back and tie on each "barb" and trim to size.  Super easy, takes very little time and adds a lot to your finished project!


All supplies by Close To My Heart, except where noted:
Retired Bareback Stamp Set by SU
Howdy Stamp by MFT
X7157B Dakota Paper Pack(will be retiring soon, only available while supplies last!)
X5929 Whisper Cardstock
Tuxedo Black Ink by Memento
Z282 Black Hemp Twine

I have entered my card in the following challenges:
Dream Valley Challenges-Animals
Heart 2 Heart-Creature Feature
My Craft Spot-Ribbon or Twine

Thanks so much for stopping by!  Hope to see your beautiful creations at Papercraft Star this week! I also have blog candy available...you can enter on this post.

Not sure where the weekend goes....Mondays sure do seem to arrive quickly!  Time for another great sketch challenge at Merry Monday!  I dug into my holiday paper stash for this one!  The papers are a long retired set from Close To My Heart, Jingle.  Here is the sketch for you to create your own version-


My inside sentiment is from My Favorite Things.  I make alot of Christmas cards, can never have too many sentiments!

All supplies by Close To My Heart, except where noted:
A1115 A Holiday Stamp Set
Clearly Sentimental About Christmas Stamp Set-MFT
Retired Jingle Paper Pack
Retired Tulip Cardstock
X5752 Juniper Cardstock
1385 White Daisy Cardstock
Retired Tulip Ink
Snowflake-Deluxe Cuts
Winter Frost Paint-Creative Inspirations
Z1752 Clear Sparkles
Fishtail Dies-MFT

I have entered my card in the following challenges:
C.R.A.F.T-Christmas
Creative Inspirations Paint-Anything Goes
My Time to Craft-Christmas in May
Southern Girls-Going Spotty Dot

We are having a great challenge at Heart 2 Heart Challenges this week!  We want to see  your projects with critters on them for our Creature Feature Challenge!  I combined the Dream Pop papers with the Critter Expressions stamp set.  The Critter Expressions stamp set is a promotional stamp set only available through your Close To My Heart consultant.  It has been awhile since I have posted blog candy....so I am giving one set away to a lucky winner!  Keep reading to enter for your chance to win!  Here is a look at the complete stamp set-

My card is based on the sketch challenge at Deconstructing Jen-


Added a few details for the inside.


Enter the drawing for your free stamp set below!  The drawing is open to all!  No purchase necessary!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

All supplies by Close To My Heart, except where noted:
W2025 Critter Expressions Stamp Set
D1475 Card Chatter-Birthday Stamp Set
1385 White Daisy Cardstock
CC1024 Dream Pop Paper Packet (only $10 w/qualifying purchase!)
Z2503 Basic Pigment Inks
Z2415 Honey Exclusive Inks Markers
Z1392 Scallop Circle Punch
Z1752 Clear Sparkles
Z1702 Paradise Baker's Twine Assortment
Fishtail Dies-MFT

I have also entered my card in the following challenges:
Animal Friends Challenge-Checked/Striped w/Animal
Card & Scrap-Lots of Layers
Creative Inspirations Paint-Anything Goes
Gingerloft-Happy Birthday
Natalie & Amy's Challenge-Things with Wings
No Matter Which Challenges-Things with Wings
Sparkles-Monochromatic
Sweet Pea Stampers-Birds of a Feather

Thanks for stopping by!

Amy is our sketch designer this week at Freshly Made Sketches!  Love the versatile sketch....it just seemed to call out for the Tommy Workshop on the Go Kit!  I so love this sentiment stamp!  The pop of color works great with the CAS design.
 

All supplies by Close To My Heart:
G1058 Tommy Workshop on the Go Kit
Z2140 Outdoor Denim Ink
Retired Outdoor Denim Ribbon

Be sure and stop by Freshly Made Sketches to see the other DT creations!  Can't wait to see your take on the sketch this week!