CTMH Stamp of the Month Blog Hop - October

Welcome to the CTMH Stamp of the Month Blog Hop for October.  This month we are featuring the  stamp set "Very Merry Christmas".  

Hope you'll join us by hopping along with me & a very creative group of CTMH consultants who have created a multitude of great projects using this stamp set!     If you've come here from Michelle's blog, you are on the right path.  If this is your first stop on the hop, that will work too!   Just keep blog hopping until you get back here again!

To continue on the hop, just follow the link at the end of each post to go to the next site.   We hope that following the hop will give you lots of inspiration & ideas for creating with this month's featured stamp set, along with the many other great CTMH products you'll see in each post.

My creation for you today is a holiday card, measuring 5" x 7".  I like to make my Christmas cards large enough to tuck a photo inside for the recipient.    I have used the brand new Christmas paper from CTMH called Pear & Partridge.  Love the classic & traditional feel of this great collection.

The Very Merry Christmas stamp set coordinates with the CTMH Cricut cartridge "Artiste", so if you so choose, many of the stamped images can be cut using the Cricut (including the holiday ornament you see here on my card).    I added a little extra dimension to my ornament by popping it up with foam tape and by adding some bitty pearls to the front of it.   

The card design for this card is from the new CTMH publication 'Make it from your Heart, Vol. 1', a collection of great sketches for both layouts & cards.

The October stamp of the month is available from your CTMH consultant (or me!) from October 1st to 31st.   It can be purchased for $17.95, or get it for just $5 with every purchase of $50 or more during the month of October.   A must have stamp set for your holiday stamping!   

If you would like to continue on the hop for more holiday inspiration using this stamp set "Very Merry Christmas", continue on to Kami's blog to see what she has created!

This Makes me Laugh

Our 'back to school' themed song this week at Scrap it with a Song is "Photograph" by Nickelback.  The song definitely brings you back down memory lane!   I was inspired to dig back through some old photos and these four I found were perfect for this week's challenge.  

A group of friends and I went to a big outdoor concert back in about our first or second year of University.  The headliner for the weekend was the Tragically Hip.  It was a huge concert - held in the middle of a field - and attendees camped in the surrounding fields for the weekend.   It was a fun weekend, perhaps a little alcohol involved, and I have lots of fun memories looking back at these photos.    Just looking at these pictures really does make me laugh!

Materials Used:
Paper:  CTMH "You Rock" (retired)
You Rock Transparency Overlays (retired)
American Crafts Thickers

Sketch is September #2 from Sketches in Thyme.

Hope you enjoyed my little walk down memory lane.   Perhaps you've been inspired to do the same.   Would love for you to play along with us at Scrap it with a Song!!

A Card for the Season

A fall card to share today -

The card image is one stamp - easy peasy!  To get the multi-coloured image, you use sponges to add pigment ink to different areas of your stamp as desired.  When your entire stamp is covered - give your stamp a big 'huff' of hot breath (I know, sounds weird - but refreshes the ink if it has started to dry) and then stamp away.    Add the bitty sparkles for some added dimension & voila!  

(Card was cut with CTMH Cricut Artiste and stamp set is Bountiful Season from CTMH)

Have a great fall day!

La Belle Vie Purse & Matching Cards

A fun little Cricut project to share with you today.  

Don't you love this purse?  And it is so easy to make.  The purse shape is found in the new Cricut Artiste cartridge from CTMH & I cut it at 4.5".    The bow is also found on Artiste and it was cut at 1.5".  Neither shape requires any adhesive to assemble!  The purse is held together using slits and folds and the bow folds easily and is held together using the center brad.  

I also added to a little simple set of 3x3 notecards inside the purse - - I think this would make a nice little gift idea.  

Thanks to Roxybonds Scrappin' for the project inspiration.

Materials Used:

CTMH Patterned Paper: La Belle Vie

CTMH Brads:  Metal Assortment

Bow is made with Blush Cardstock

Card front & inside panels are made with Cashmere Cardstock

Just Blooms Flutter paper shapes

Bitty Sparkles

Card Sentiments : 4 My Friend Stamp Set

Black Ink for distressing & stamping

Have a great start to your week :-)

Celebrate Today Layout with CTMH Clementine

Another fun layout today to give you a page idea for documenting your OWN story!!  
I created this page at the CTMH Regional Event in Edmonton recently.   We were given the prompts (ie. I was, I wish etc.) and then 2 minutes to write down the first things that came to our minds.     And voila - some great journalling for a scrapbook page.    Proof that scrapbooking doesn't have to be complicated!

Materials Used:
CTMH Clementine paper pack
CTMH Love Blooms stamp set
CTMH Casual Expressions stamp set
CTMH Burlap
CTMH Brown/Tan Sparkles
CTMH Foam Tape

Advent Calendar

Look what I did last night!  Such a fun project.  

The Advent Calendar is a brand new kit in the CTMH Fall/Winter Idea Book.   I love how easy this was!  It is a little more time intensive than some projects, (after the Cricut had cut out all my little boxes to fill the CTMH Cubby, it took me about 3 hours to complete the stamping and assembly) but so worth the extra time!   I'm also impressed with how sturdy this is!   The Cubby is really solid and well constructed - - this should last us several years of use!   My kids are quite impressed that 'mom made this' and can't wait until its' time to use it!

Materials Used:
-  CTMH Advent Calendar Kit (includes: full colour instruction guide, 1 My Creations Cubby Box, 1kit-exlcusive Advent Calendar stamp set, 15 sheets of cardstock (3 each of 5 different kit-exclusive colours), 1 package of Bitty Sparkles, 2 sheets of matching Chipboard Frames)
-  Boxes are cut with CTMH Artiste Cricut cartridge
-  Ink for stamping:  Brochure recommends Black Staz-On, I used CTMH Archival Black
-  Ribbon:  CTMH Black Striped Grosgrain (I thought the ribbon added a nice touch to decorate the outside of the box, but it is completely optional to the project).
-  Adhesive to assemble the boxes & adhere your chipboard frames:  Liquid Glass

Be sure to order yours in plenty of time to complete before the Christmas countdown begins in December!

For my local peeps (Calgary & area) - if there is enough interest, I will offer this as a class in November.   Send me an EMAIL if you would be interested in attending!

A new layout using CTMH's Dakota

We have a new sketch for you today at Let's Get Sketchy and I dug into my new CTMH Dakota paper pack and embellishments for this one:

Great sketch, don't you think?   Love how this layout turned out!

Materials Used:

CTMH Dakota paper pack

CTMH Wrangler assortment embellishments

CTMH Canvas alphabet

CTMH Black stripe grosgrain ribbon

Bracket shapes for journalling cut with CTMH Artiste Cricut cartridge

I'd love to see what this sketch inspires you to create!  Hope you'll join us at Let's Get Sketchy!  

Weekend Retreat in Canmore Alberta!

Hey scrappy folks!

Registration began on Saturday for my upcoming weekend retreat in Canmore (Nov 30 - Dec 2, 2012)  . . . and the emails were flying fast & furious for our regulars to get their names in!     But lucky for you  - - we have SEVEN spots left!!     Interested in joining us?!?!  Be sure to check out my EVENTS BLOG for all the details & then get your registration email in to me before these spots are gone!

Hope to see you there!

What I Love Right Now, Today!

A fun layout to share with you today.  This is another creation from the make & take sessions at the recent CTMH Regional event in Edmonton.   I absolutely love this layout & trust me it is even better in real life!  Love the colours, the dimension, everything!  (You can click the photo to view it larger).

The layout

Embellishment cluster

Great dimension achieved by popping up the photo squares with foam tape.

Faux masking tape.

My current favourites that I included on my layout - my family, tea lattes (seriously - I'm addicted!  Doesn't even have to be Starbucks - - any kind will do!), my camera, and time in my craft room!

Materials Used:

CTMH Scholastic paper pack
CTMH Harvest Bakers Twine
CTMH Perfect Fit Frames stamp set
CTMH Trinity Alphabet stamp set (my new favourite stamp set!!  So versatile!)
Frames & Heart cut with CTMH Artiste Cricut Cartridge
CTMH Foam Tape
CTMH Inks: Champagne (for distressing), Saddle, Ruby, Outdoor Denim

Thanks for stopping by today!  Hope you all have a great weekend :-)

Look Who is Turning Fifteen!!

Fun song for you this week at Scrap it with a Song!  Our theme this month is 'back to school' and this week's selection is "Fifteen" by Taylor Swift.

My layout:

Sketch is a rotated version of Sep #1 from Sketches in Thyme!

My nephew just happens to be turning 15 in about a month from now - so that was what I thought of immediately when I was thinking about the song.    Hard to believe that he's growing up so fast!!  Makes me feel old!

Materials used for my layout:
CTMH Victory paper pack
CTMH Natural Hemp
CTMH mini alphabet from Scholastic Stickease
CTMH cardstock: Chocolate, Bamboo
CTMH ink:  Chocolate, Bamboo
CTMH Foam Tape
CTMH Dimensional Elements Numbers (retired)
CTMH Designer Wood Buttons
Glue Dots

Be sure to stop by Scrap it with a Song- check out our Design Team creations and play along before September 30th for a chance to be our Guest Designer!

Avonlea Bracket Frame Home Decor

I absolutely love the new home decor alterable items that CTMH is offering in the Fall/Winter Idea Book.

One example is this great bracket frame.  Made of a very sturdy chipboard - it is completely alterable and extremely affordable!    I finally had a chance to create one this past weekend when I attended the CTMH Regional event in Edmonton - this was one of our many make & take projects:

The accordian-fold rosettes were cut with the CTMH Artiste Cricut cartridge.   The cardstock bracket shape to overlay on top of the frame itself was also cut with the Artiste cartridge & fits perfectly!!

Materials Used:

CTMH Bracket Frame

CTMH Houndstooth Chipboard Alphabet

CTMH Harvest Bakers Twine

CTMH Brown/Tan Sparkles

CTMH Foam Tape

CTMH Avonlea Paper Packet

CTMH Colonial White Cardstock

CTMH Chocolate Cardstock

CTMH Love Blooms Stamp Set

CTMH Inks: Chocolate & Juniper

CTMH Liquid Glass

CTMH Bonding Memories Glue

Mini Glue Dots

I'll be offering this project as a pre-cut kit to all of my local peeps!! Send me an EMAIL if you are interested in that!  

Avonlea Card Kit

CTMH introduced some new cardmaking kits in the current Fall/Winter Idea Book and I recently had a chance to play with the Avonlea kit.   The kit provides enough paper & embellies for 15 cards.   You can follow the instructions and guide to come up with 5 cards each of 3 different designs . . . or get a little creative as I did and change up your designs for a little more variety.   I didn't use anything on my cards other than what was provided in the kit, but I did do a few Cricut cuts, as you'll see.

All 15 cards I created

Design #1, with 2 different stamped sentiments

Design #2 with different orientation and 2 different stamped sentiments

Design #3, with different sentiments using my Cricut Artiste cartridge, and some variation in stamping & embellishing.

Materials Used:
Avonlea Cardmaking Kit
Cricut Artiste Cartridge
Inks: Slate, Chocolate, Smokey Plum

Thanks for stopping by today!!

Studio Sunday - Backyard Campout

A quick post this Sunday to share with you my most recent Studio J digital layout.  I used the Flirty kit for this one, which, of course, is also one of our great new paper packs in the Fall/Winter Idea Book.  

(Click on the photo to see larger):

Don't you love the owl!?!   A great 'sticker' available in the digital form and in the Chipboard pack that matches the paper!  

More pics of our summer fun!!  We camp a lot - but always in a trailer - - so the kids have been asking for quite a while if we could sleep out in our tent.   So we picked a night & set it up in our backyard!!  Lots of fun!   The kids were thrilled!

Hope you all had a great weekend!   I was in Edmonton for a CTMH Regional event.  We had a great time and wow do I have a TON of artwork to share with you - - we did more than 8 hours of creative projects on top of some great classes and discussions!       Fabulous event!

Try Studio J for yourself on my Website!   Free to try & play with -- no cost to you until you decide to purchase a layout you have created :-)