Countdown to Valentine's Day - Day One

Thanks for joining me for my third Valentine's Day Countdown linky party! You can play along all fourteen days, one day, or just check out the ideas! It's more fun if you play, though - so please add your creations as we go each day. I'll be posting every day (hopefully!) right after midnight from February 1 - 14. 

My first project is quick and simple: four 3 x 3-inch cards made using the Pun Fun stamp set and the stamp set from Whooo's Your Valentine. I stamped each image using cocoa pigment ink on kraft paper. Once it dried, I used our amazing alcohol markers in Smoothie to color in the image. A quick border, some Opaques Mocha Gems, and you have some cute little Valentines!

Now it's your turn! Add a link to your project and play along! 

Are you ready for some . . .

Valentine's Day projects? (You thought I was going to say "football," didn't you! I'm ready for that, too!) Coming soon to a blog near you - fourteen days of Valentine goodness. Check back every day from February 1 - 14 to see what I've added. This is a participation sport, too - you get to play along! I'll have a linky tool set so you can add pictures of projects you have made. You can link from a Photobucket account or your blog. It's a lot more fun with group participation, and you can join once, twice, all fourteen days - as often as you'd like! 

Art Attack: Create Your Own Patterned Paper

Sometimes you just can't find the exact patterned paper that you want. Solution - make your own! Watch the video below to find out how!

Studio J Saturday: Beautiful Bride

This is one of my favorite Studio J layouts. Even though pink was not one of the wedding colors, it works with the photos. "Lucy" is such a cheerful paper pack! Another thing I love about Studio J - you can use papers that are no longer available in the catalog. 

Art Attack: Embossing and Stamping

Enjoy this Clearly the Best video on resist stamping using embossed images!

Studio J Saturday: The Wedding

More wedding photos . . . there are only 5 or 6 hundred, so we may be here a while. I love these photos of our darling ring bearer (my nephew) and flower girl. They did such a great job!

Once again, I adjusted the colors in the paper pack to work with my photos. You can't do that with "real" paper! 

Art Attack: Random Stamping

Have you ever wondered how to make your random-stamped images look great? Learn how in the Clearly the Best video on random stamping!

Wedding Display Tray

I got to play with some of the new products in the upcoming Spring/Summer Idea Book, and I have to say - I'm in love! There are some gorgeous products, and I'm having so much fun creating! I have been wanting to do something special with some photos of my daughter's wedding, and this weekend I created this little display to take to work. It came together really quickly, and I am so pleased with the result!

I used some new products: the 5 x 7 Hinged Display Tray, For Always paper, and some new sparkles. All of these products will be available 2/1. The paper roses and leaves are made using the Artiste Cricut cartridge. Love! For some visual variety, I raised some of the photos using 3D foam tape.  

The opening sizes on the display tray are 5 x 3 1/2 inches (large opening) and 2 1/2 x 3 1/2 inches (small openings). I see lots of gifts in the future using this little gem!

Studio J Saturday: Avonlea

2012 was a big year at our house: our only daughter got married. I am having a great time documenting the big event. This Studio J layout was one I did as part of the 5-pack I received for attending the CTMH Regional event in St. Louis in October. The directions we were given used the Avonlea papers, which I love. However, the colors did not work for my layout. The great thing about Studio J is that you can change the colors of the paper to work for you! Instead of green and teal, I was able to make the papers work in the wedding colors - yellow and gray. I love the way it turned out!

Art Attack: Monogram Stamps - A Personal Touch

Here are some more ways to use the awesome monogram stamps!

Monogram Note Cards

When I saw the monogram stamp sets in the Autumn/Winter 2012 Idea Book, I thought they were one of the best ideas ever! Each one is only $2.95 - quite a bargain! I have been collecting them slowly and decided that some personalized note cards would make great gifts for co-workers this Christmas.

I dipped into my stash of paper and decided to use some Roxie paper (now retired). I pulled out my Value Pack of Colonial White cards and envelopes (I always keep some of those on hand - they're a great value!) and went to work. 

I kept things pretty simple:

• Cut a 4" x 5 1/4" mat from B&T paper.
• Cut a 3 3/4" x 5" piece of Colonial White cardstock.
• Cut a 1 1/4" x 5" piece from coordinating B&T paper.
• Cut a 1" x 5" piece of Colonial White cardstock.
• Using the Cricut Artiste cartridge, cut a circle from the Colonial White cardstock to stamp the image and another circle 1/4" inch larger from B&T for a mat.
• Stamp the monogram image on the Colonial White circle.
• Layer the pieces.
• Before adhering the matted circle, cut a 1" piece of Silver Shimmer Trim and notch out the tail. Place it behind the circle before adhering it all to the card. (Remember that the Silver Shimmer Trim is self-adhesive.) 

I made six cards per person and packaged them in a clear envelope along with the coordinating envelopes. Simple, yet personal! 

Curled Paper Wreath

I broke out of my non-crafty funk and made some Christmas gifts this year. Of course, I didn't want to post them before the gifts were given. ;) One of my favorites is the curled paper wreath, inspired by this wreath made by Lisa Stenz. 

I made my wreath using Jingle paper (retired) from Close To My Heart.

The wreath was really easy to make! Here's what you need:

• Styrofoam wreath (I used one about 8" in diameter.)
• 8 - 12 pieces of B&T paper (patterned paper - preferably 2-sided), cut into 1/2" strips
• Straight pins
• Bone folder

You will curl the paper strips like you curl ribbon on a gift: hold the strip at the end with one hand, and pull the bone folder across the strip with the other hand, making the paper curl. I cut all my paper and curled the paper while I watched TV. It was a great mindless activity!

I tied the ribbon to hang the wreath around the top of the wreath first. Next, start pinning the curled strips to the wreath. It worked best for me to place the pin in the center of the strip rather at one end. (Ask me how I found out!) Keep pinning until you completely cover the front, sides, and inside edge of the wreath.

As a finishing touch, I sandwiched a long piece of white baker's twine between two Dimensional Elements snowflakes, gluing it together with Liquid Glass for a strong hold. Once it dried a little, I used Stardust Glitz Glitter Gel on each side to give it some sparkle and shine. After the glitter gel dried, I tied the snowflake to the wreath. 

I love how it turned out! It's a great way to use up paper, and it makes a great gift. 

My brother and sister-in-law received one for a gift, too, pictured below. I used a larger wreath (about 12", I believe), and I used Believe (retired) Close To My Heart paper. They loved it!

Another bonus - your arm muscles get a workout! Enjoy!

Whooo's Your Valentine?

This is one of the cutest kits Close To My Heart has offered! I can hardly wait to make some sweet Valentines with my kit.