"My Favorite Things" Spring Blog Hop

Hello! Happy Spring (and almost Easter!). I'm going to Easter service tonight so it already feels like Easter to me :)

This month my Playing with Paper team and I are sharing something Spring or Easter-themed with you. I LOVE springtime. Especially since it's finally warming up here in Seattle. Ahhhhh. Now those blooming flowers seem like they're in place.

Today I'm sharing a simple card with some fun techniques.

Since our blog hop features one of our favorite things, it may seem like I'm featuring CTMH's new textiles, since that fabric flower is the star of the show. (The Chantilly fabric matches the Chantilly paper perfectly!) But actually, I am in love with the 2 stamps you see. The chevron stamp is from the new In the Background set, and "Hope your day is happy" is from the Chantilly Workshop on the Go cardmaking kit. I love that it works for birthday, or anything, really! Sometimes I don't like to stamp sentiments on cards until I know what I'll use it for, but this will work for so many occasions. 

I made a video a while back on how to make these fabric flowers (see the end of this post). They're so addicting (and easy) to make :)

TIP: Love the look of the patterned paper around the edge, But don't want to "hide" so much of that pretty paper? Cut out the center to save for another card!

Here's my video on how to make a statement necklace, which uses this same flower. (Sorry for the light background music...this was one of my first videos.)


How head on over to Norhalma's blog to see what Spring treat she has in store for you!

Here are some of the products I used:

In the Background

Chantilly Paper Packet

Chantilly Textiles

Chantilly Cardmaking WOTG Kit

My Mom's Pastel Landscape Artwork

My mom recently learned how to create with pastels. She learned from my aunt, who has been doing it a long time, and used to be an art teacher. She then got all into it and watched DVDs, read books, and even started taking a painting class. She couldn't find a pastel class, but the painting class has still been helpful, and the teacher doesn't mind what they work on. It's more to set aside time each week to create. (I can relate to that...in a different medium!)

Anyway, I wanted to share the SECOND-EVER pastel that my mom created. I'm so proud of her...I think it's so amazing!

I definitely get my artistic skills and eye for color from her. She's always been really great with any craft or art activity she does (as have I).

So...now you know where my crafty gene comes from.

I hope to have more of my mom's artwork to share with you :)

Have a great weekend!

Go Green with CTMH Be Yourself & Cricut Art Philosophy

Here is another card made by my customer Katrin that I'm posting for H2H's "Go Green" challenge this week.

She used the Art Philosophy Cricut cartridge for all shapes, and added 3D foam for dimension. 

All stamp images and the sentiment are from the "Free Spirit" and "Be Yourself" stamp sets by CTMH (retired).

Can you guess where the "Green" comes in? I'll give you a hint...it's the patterned paper...and it's the same trick she used on her last card! Here's a closer look...

She used the patterned paper insert from one of her CTMH stamp sets! This is the new insert look...the old ones had polka dots and were various colors. Now they are all this aqua color with the flowery pattern.

Clever, huh?!

Thanks for visiting to see Katrin's card today :)

If you'd like to participate in Heart 2 Heart's "Go Green" challenge, or any other March challenge, you have all of March to link up. You can recycle something, make something nature-inspired, make a green-colored project, or make something for St. Paddy's Day. However you'd like to interpret it.

Egg-cited for Easter with CTMH Chantilly

Hello!
I honestly can't believe Easter is next week (or this week...however you want to look at it). As I was creating this project, it didn't even strike me until after I was finished!

The challenge this week over at Heart 2 Heart Challenges is to make something for Easter! It can be anything that Easter (or eggs) inspires in you.

For my project, I wanted to make some sort of Easter basket. I had these clear boxes lying around, which are from clearbags.com, and thought they'd be the perfect size for just a little candy for someone special. These would make cute co-worker or friend gifts. Or even for a child who you don't want to have a bunch of candy! You could also fill it with small toys instead.

I used CTMH's new Chantilly paper pack. (How could I not with the perfect spring colors?) I adore this paper. Probably one of my favorites CTMH has come out with!

I knew I wanted to add lots of dimension and frills. I sure love my 3D Cricut flowers! I cut this from Artiste with one of the patterned papers in the pack at 2.5" (I think). I also cut the leaves from Artiste.

The mesh-like ribbon is from Hobby Lobby. I could get lost in their ribbon section...they have such fun ribbon that I haven't seen elsewhere. The nearest Hobby Lobby to me is almost an hour away, so it's always fun to visit :) This ribbon came pleated, so naturally, I had to add some sparkle with the SHIMMER trim! Oh, how I love that stuff.

Since the box is clear, I wrapped the paper handle around the top of the lid. Since you could see where the handle ends came together through the lid, I added a flower to cover it up. The flower center is a rhinestone brad (sadly, now retired). Love me some bling!

And here's one last angle. I hope you enjoyed it! Let me know if you have any questions.

Have a wonderful week...thanks for stopping by!

If you'd like to play along at Heart 2 Heart...hurry and visit this week! March Madness is going on with lots of giveaways...and you can still enter any of the other March challenges.

Go Cougs! Home Decor Auction Item

My hubby works for Washington State University's Athletic department, and his job specifically is fundraising. Last month he put on 2 big events to raise money for Cougar athletics, called A Night With Cougar Football. One was in Portland, and one here in Seattle.

These are big events with coaches, the Athletic Director, and lots of Cougs, and raise a lot of money for the department. This is super important because this money pays for student-athlete scholarships and athletic projects like a new stadium addition (which was completed last year), and currently they're working on a new Football Operations building connected to the stadium.

So, part of each event is an auction. I didn't have a mountain chalet or timeshare to donate, so I donated what I do best...something paper crafted :)

I kept is pretty simple so that it could be decoration for a male or female. I could totally see this dressing up an office to show some Coug pride!

This project was seriously simple to make. I bought a 2x4 at Home Depot and had them cut it at various lengths. Then I painted each block with white acrylic paint. (I recommend FolkArt brand...it goes on thick. Some of the cheaper brands are too runny and you need more coats.)

Next I Mod Podged the Cougar paper onto the fronts. I found the Coug paper at Craft Warehouse the last time I was in Vancouver (I love that place). The chipboard letters were painted with a black acrylic paint dabber and adhered with glue dots.

To add just a little flair, I tied some gray baker's twine around a few of the letters, and hot glued a Slate ribbon knot onto the first block.

This project cost me less than $5 and took less than 2 hours. But it brought in $50 in the silent auction! Hey, every little bit helps!!


Here is Martin Stadium lookin' good!!! That whole top part was added last year with suites, concessions, and so much more. It's seriously awesome!

Source

This is the proposed Football Operations building, which would be located adjacent to the end zone that is to the right of the above picture. Pretty sweet, right?!

But there is still more money that needs to be raised to even start this project. If you are a Coug, know a Coug, or just like the Cougs, you should consider becoming a member of the Cougar Athletic Fund like me, and you can help this project along! Details HERE.

Thanks for visiting, and GO COUGS!!!

"Go Green" H2H Challenge: John Deere Name Frame

This week's challenge at Heart 2 Heart is to Go Green! This could mean using something recycled, or using the color green, or making something for St. Paddy's Day...get creative!

I chose to create something that is the color green...and there's also a little something recycled. It worked out well because I had an Etsy order for a {What's in a Frame} that just so happened to be John Deere-themed...and you know what color that is!

I used CTMH Sunny Yellow and Black Cardstock, along with some green CS from a value pack at Michael's. The letters were cut with the Art Philosophy cartridge at 1".

I found the tractor and logo on a website called logotypes101, which has hi-res files for just about any logo you could want. I've found a lot of sports logos for these frames on that site as well.

I used a couple different background stamps on the green and yellow squares. The green squares use the Hit the Spot (retired) stamp set inked in Clover Green. The yellow squares are stamped with one of the stamps from the new In The Background stamp set (one of my favorites!), stamped in Sunny Yellow. I thought the diagonal lines looked kind of like tractor tire marks :)

See that white mesh-looking stuff under the tractor? You'll never guess what it is! Have you ever bought curtains from Ikea? Well, they come really long and you're supposed to "hem" them yourself. This mesh is the heat-activated stuff what you're supposed to use to hem it with an iron. I didn't need it so I put it in my craft room...and it looks like perfect tire tracks for the tractor :) It doesn't work well with glue, so I had to tape each end.

I hope you enjoyed my project.

You can participate in this week's challenge, too! Head on over to Heart 2 Heart and check out the other Design Team's project, then create your own and link it up!

My First Color Dare + Mojo Monday with Footloose & Claire

This week I am participating in my first Color My Heart color dare. I always see my talented friend Amie's projects as a DT member, and finally am feeling some mojo to participate. Speaking of mojo, I used the Mojo Monday sketch #283 for my card.

I decided to make a Congrats card for a friend who is having a baby. The Color Dare is actually not even a typical color dare this week...it's to use at least 2 different CTMH paper packs on your project. I used last summer's Footloose paper pack paired with the NEW Claire paper pack (dots). I added a bit of black for some extra pop.

The whale is from the Under the Sea stamp set. I first wanted to play with my new New Baby stamp set, which also has a whale, but that whale's water spray stuck up too high! (I guess technically I did play with the set, but it didn'twork out so well.) I accidentally deleted my angled shot of the whale...but there's glitz glitter gel on the swirls and water spout. And I fussy-cut the whale out and popped him up on 3D foam squares for dimension.

I could, however, still use the sentiment from New Baby: "Whale, what do you know? A new Baby." Love it! I stamped it on the inside, because it didn't fit in the spot I wanted to use on the front. So on the front I used "Congrats" from an oldie but goodie stamp set. I don't even remember the name...it's from a card set special several years ago.

I feel like this card needs a little more in the top left, but left it blank to stay true to the sketch. I may go back and change it, though!

Thanks for visiting today! Here are what the current CTMH products I used look like...

New Baby

Under the Sea

Claire Paper Packet

And here's the Mojo Monday sketch...

"Spring Forward" Easter Card

Today I am sharing a card made by one of my customers, Katrin. She is in LOVE with her Art Philosophy Cricut cartridge and all the CTMH goodies she recently ordered (plus her Artiste is on the way!). She wants to participate in some of Heart 2 Heart's challenges but does not have a blog, so I'm sharing for her!

Heart 2 Heart's challenge this week is "Spring Forward," and Katrin decided to make an Easter card.

For her card, Katrin cut all shapes (banners, card windows, eggs) from her Art Philosophy cartridge. The sentiment is from the CTMH stamp set "Easter Eggs". The ribbon and the heart punch are SU. She also used a Cuttlebug Swiss Dots embossing folder and 3D foam for dimension.

AAAAND...can you guess where the dotted paper for the eggs and banners is from? It's the paper insert that comes in CTMH's stamp sets (the old design). How clever is that?!

If you'd like to play along, head on over to Heart 2 Heart and link up your project! If you do not have your own blog, I'd be happy to post/link your project for you, or you can ask if your CTMH Consultant would do the same.

Remember, you can play along with any of the March challenges all month long.

Happy crafting!

Clean & Simple (CAS) Card With Simple Memories

Ahh, I have totally neglected my blog lately, and I hate it. But I have a very good reason, which I will share very soon :)

Last week the challenge at Heart 2 Heart was to create something Clean & Simple (CAS). (Yes, I'm very late in posting my card...although it was featured on H2H's post.) I LOVE CAS style and once this idea popped into my head it came together very quickly. Don't you just love it when that happens?

I made this card for a very sweet co-worker and friend of mine. I had to go to Urgent Care a couple of weeks ago and my hubby was unavailable, so she picked me up and took me half an hour away, then waited with me for several hours as I was treated. (I am fine now.)

I just love this Simple Memories stamp set, but sadly, it's retired. There are several sizes of doilies, perfect for random stamping. They are so detailed, that you really don't need much else to go along with your card.
 

Did ya notice that button?! It's black...and glittery! It's CTMH's new black button assortment. I have told you how much I love all of CTMH's buttons. They have wonderful shapes and designs to them, and are very reasonably priced at just $5.95 for a package of 72. Try finding that deal in the sewing section at JoAnn's! I also used the wonderful tulle ribbon and tied the button to it with baker's twine from the Paradise assortment.

It's not too late to participate in H2H's CAS challenge! You have all month to participate in any of the March challenges. So head on over and link up your CAS project!