Wednesday, November 30, 2011

December Stamp of the Month Bloghop!

Wow, it's December already.  December brings all kinds of feelings to mind...family, thanksgiving, Christmas, warm cocoa, snowflakes, penguins (love 'em!) and in the case of Close To My Heart's Stamp of the Month - Love and Valentines.  If you've just arrived here from {Tamytha's blog, PaperHeartist}, you've come to the right place!


The December Stamp of the Month is always a love-themed stamp set - and this year is no exception!  It's called Mad About You, and is available for just $17.95 -- UNLESS you make a $50 purchase, then it's only $5.00!


I love this stamp set.  I'm not usually a big hearts and lovey stamp person, but I like the shape of the circle thingy (not really a circle, as you can see below).  Lucky me - it's a Cricut Art Philosphy shape!  So are the rectangular one and the hearts. 






For something new and different (at least for me!)  I decided to make a scrapbook page.  I thought the hearts would be nice to make my very own patterned paper.  Unfortunately, my pictures cover most of it up.  (Is that good or bad?  It IS supposed to be about the pictures, after all...)


My homemade patterned paper - save money - make your own!
  
I love Planned Random Stamping.  It's where you stamp your images in an imaginary, invisible triangle, starting with the largest images.  So, first I stamped the "big" hearts in Petal Ink and the words in Olive Ink.  I then filled in the empty spaces with Pansy Purple (small flower and heart).  On top of everything, I stamped the circle thingy in Desert Sand.

Then I decided to use a larger picture, so I went through Jeannette Lynton's how-to scrapbooking book, MAGIC, for a layout that had a 5x7 picture.  This is the one I picked out - but I only did the left page...and Magic has some fun secret hiding places for pictures, but I didn't do that on my page, either.  Just trying to get it done!

Jeannette's MAGIC page
My version
I used the Color Ready Alphabets Cork (LOVE THEM) to do the name.  (Didn't know there were TWO sets of alphabets in the package!)   Here's a close up:  (You can ink them, but I really like the cork color.)


TIP:  I wanted my letters to be straight, so I used my fingernail and lightly "drew" a guide line for my letters (with a ruler).  That way I wouldn't have to try to erase it (like if I'd used pencil).

TIP:  I wanted my letters centered under the picture (wasn't quite as successful as I'd hoped on that).  There are 7 letters in the name GARRETT, so I started with the center letter - the 2nd "R" and moved out from there.

After I'd LIGHTLY placed my letters on my invisible line, I thought it looked boring with all the letters lined up straight -- so I pried a few up and tipped the "G," the center"R," and the last "T" to make it more interesting.

I also used the Sonoma MyStickease (stickers) for the "buttons" and that square thing at the bottom.  As much as I love bumpy cards, I hate bumpy scrapbook pages...weird.

I also did something I've NEVER done before - that is stamp on a picture with Staz-On (permanent ink).  I was nervous -- I thought it might slip and look bad (and I'd have to replace the picture).  Be sure to practice on the slick photo paper before you stamp on your actual picture.  

 Pretty cool, huh!

SUPPLIES USED:  How-To Book:  Magic (9034, $21.95); Inks:  Petal, Pansy Purple, Olive, Desert Sand, Staz-On Black; Card Stock:  Colonial White, Pansy Purple, Olive, Desert Sand; Sonoma MyStickease; Color Ready Alphabets Cork (Z1450, $5.95); pictures of a super cute kid

I should probably make the other side of the layout some time.  I have lots of pictures of my buddy Garrett.

Now HOP on over to {Shirley's Blog, MomNMeScrap} to see what fun love-filled ideas she has for you!

If you like what you see and want it right now, shop online right here!  If you have questions, email me at lisa@lisasargent.net    

Have a wonderful, blessed December!

Lisa



















Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Peaceful Sonoma Paper Pack

The Sonoma paper pack is so versatile.  At first I was really attracted to the purple flowers...I have a weakness for them (that is, purple things and flowers). 


Little Scrapbook 'purse' designed by Michele Kunigk
This is what it looks like opened up.  You can put pictures on all the surfaces.  You start with 12x12 piece of paper and score like mad.  Let me know if you would like the instructions.



{Supplies Used:  Sonoma paper pack, Olive, Chocolate, White Daisy card stock, Pair A Phrase stamp set (promotional set in August/September), The Present, Watercolor Pencils, Olive and Chocolate stamp pads}

After drooling over the flowers, I started looking at the "neutrals" in the pack...little bitty stripes, diamonds and dots.  You can pretty much do anything with them.


Created by Erin Dunkle
 I'm not a big silhoutte fan usually, but I like how the paper actually adds to the peaceful nature of this card.  Plus, she used the little 1/2" strip that you cut off the background paper as a design element.  They don't call it SCRAPbooking for nothing!

{Supplies Used:  Glory To God (D1483); Sonoma paper pack; Bamboo, Olive Card Stock; Petal, Smokey Plum, Olive, Desert Sand Inks; Circle Punch; Clear Sparkles; Copper Glitz}


Created by Sue Pershon

This card has the best of all worlds - (besides that it has purple and flowers)...It's clean and simple, uses flowers, Cricut shapes, purple, bling and Sonoma.

{Supplies Used:  Sonoma Workshop on the Go (G1028); Cricut Art Philosophy Cartridge; Bamboo, Olive, Smokey Plum, White Daisy Card Stock; Olive Marker; Smokey Plum Stamp Pad; Clear Sparkles; White Grosgrain Ribbon; Sponge; Corner Rounder}


Created by Linda Black
I like to cut paper and all, but not this much!  Mostly, I think I just don't like to cut inside of circles.  I'm happy cutting out airplanes, penguins (but WE DON'T HAVE ANY PENGUIN STAMPS, CTMH!!), whatever...just not the insides of anything where it just looks bad when I do it.  So I give an award to Linda Black for precision cutting.  (Wait - but looking more closely at the wreath, Linda punched the center out with a circle punch.)  But she did cut out that little banner that says "4 YOU"  and the little string attaching it to the wreath.  Way too much precision cuttting for me. 

The other thing I think is really cool about this card is that she used rectangles to show depth, like on a front door with the recessed panels.  I don't usually think about using shades of paper that way. 

You could also use a "fancy" brad to make the door handle.  I think this would make a wonderful holiday or housewarming card.

{Supplies Used:  Sonoma Paper Pack; Smokey Plum, Petal, Bamboo Card Stock; Cocoa, Smokey Plum stamp pads; Cocoa Embossing Powder (for the bow); Antique Copper Brad; Olive, New England Ivy, Goldrush, Petal, Smokey Plum reinkers to make a puddle pad (custom stamp pad) for the wreath; foam mounting tape; 1 1/4" circle punch for the center of the wreath.

I hope you've been inspired by the creations!  After your hard day of shopping on Friday, take some time and do something relaxing - like crafting!

And have a wonderful Thanksgiving (if I don't "see" you soon.)  I'm so thankful for all my fabulous hostesses, team members, "followers," customers, family and friends.  But I'm especially thankful for those of you who I've met in the last few years and have become my friends -- just because we like to stamp and scrapbook together.  You're the best!












Thursday, November 10, 2011

Santa's Workshop - Part II

Here's the other half of the goodies we made at my Santa's Workshop this past weekend.  Like what you see?  We'll be making these same items on Saturday, December 10 at 10am at my house in Newcastle.  It's $15 or free with your $15 minimum Close To My Heart purchase.  Call or email me to RSVP.  425.255.3731 or lisa@lisasargent.net

Gift Card Holder designed by Naomi Smith
I cut 2 stockings at 7" on the Cricut (1 with Colonial White Card Stock and 1 with the Roxie paper).  I glued the edges together with Bonding Memories Glue.  (I like Bonding Memories for this project, because it "dries hard" meaning that when the adhesive is dry, your gift card shouldn't stick to the adhesive.  If you use something like Tombow, even when it's dry your card might get get stuck on the adhesive and make pulling your gift card out difficult.)  You could also use Liquid Glass.  Don't forget, just glue around the edges, AND don't glue the top closed.

I then cut out the "pieces" of the stocking (also on the Cricut - also set at 7")  SOOO easy!  The pieces are just the Roxie paper flipped over.  (Remember?  Our papers are now double-sided card stock with two coordinating designs!)

I also cut the holly pieces out at 1 1/4".  I folded them in half and sanded the 'rib' down the center.  I also added Red Sparkles for berries.

Supplies Used:  Roxie Paper Pack (X7140B, $9.95), Colonial White Card Stock (for the back), Olive Card Stock for the Holly, Bonding Memories Glue (1512, $6.95) or Liquid Glass (Z679, $6.95) as adhesive, Red Sparkles (Z1326, $2.95 for red, pink and purple sparkles), Sanding Kit (Z1294, $3.50).

Sorry, Starbucks card not included!  :)



Chocolate Kiss Holder



I got a super cute 3-Chocolate Kiss holder at convention this year, similar to the one we made in the class.  The gal didn't put her name on her sample, so I don't know who to credit...but THANK YOU!  It's just a paper wrapped around the kisses, secured with a brad.

Supplies Used:  Moonstruck paper pack, Crystal Blue brad, Snowflakes are from Christmas Cheer stamp set (D1494, $17.95 and are stamped in Heavenly Blue).  The words I typed on my computer.  They say "Snowflakes are kisses from Heaven."  Get it?  Chocolate Kisses...kisses from Heaven?  haha.  By the way, I typed the words on my computer, because I couldn't find the words small enough on a stamp.  I put a strip to Tombow under the kisses to keep them in place.


Designed by Jennifer Gilson
I LOVE this box.  SO cute!  Cricut (again!) to make the box. Then cut a 3 1/4" circle for his smiley face. 

Supplies Used:  White Daisy card stock, Wonderland paper pack, orange paper for nose (I used leftover paper from Hooligan), Black Button Brads from the Black Mini-Medley Accents (Z1393, $4.95), Baby Pink stamp pad and sponge dauber (for cheeks), Wooden Designer Buttons (Z1387, $5.95), Chocolate Waxy Flax (Z1088, $3.95), Piercing Tool to poke holes for the eye-brads and Black Sharpie for the mouth dots.  Secure the box closed with a Velcro dot.

I hope you can come and play with us on December 10! 

Lisa





Monday, November 7, 2011

Little Gifty Things - Santa's Workshop

This weekend I had my Santa's Workshop class - here's 2 of the fun things we made (the other 3 will be posted on Thursday):  Most of them use the new Close To My Heart Art Philosophy Cricut Cartridge (Z1686, $99).  I LOVE this cartridge.  I don't feel the need to buy a bunch of other cartridges because there are 700 shapes on this one.  So with the different sizes, you can do 32,000 different combinations! wowie.  PLUS it comes with 3 coordinating stamp sets AND 3 sheets of Dimensional Elements.


Gift Card Holder
The pillow box and tag cutouts are Cricut shapes (yay, I can make them in any color!).  I cut mine at 5 1/2" so I could get two on a 12x12 sheet.  It holds a gift card nicely!   

Supplies Used:  Colors-Holiday Red, Topiary, White Daisy; Believe Paper Pack; Stamp Set:  December 25th (C1469, $13.95).  The ribbon is from my local craft store.  For adhesive on the box, I recommend Terrifically Tacky Tape or Miracle Tape.  It's super sticky and will work great to hold the box together.  Tombow just isn't sticky enough.

Decorated Post-It Note Holder
I LOVE decorating Post-It notes for Christmas.  This one is a 3x3 Post-It note pad decorated with a little paper.  Last year we did them with a Velcro dot enclosure, but this year it's more like a book cover.  

Supplies Used: The flowers are from Hooray Bouquet (D1491, $17.95).  (I cut out the flowers with the Cricut first.)  Kraft Card Stock (Z1375, $9.50) (Desert Sand would work, too). Paper Pack: Elemental (X7141B, $9.95). Ink Colors: Pacifica, Sorbet, Sky and Desert Sand (for edging).  Just Blooms paper butterflies (Z1463, $5.95 for 68 butterflies in different sizes).   Sponge Daubers (to color the butterfly), Basic Button Assortment (Z1391, $5.95), Sorbet Waxy Flax (Z1249, $3.95), Glue Dots, Foam Mounting Tape.

SO fun.  Come back in 3 days to see the other 3 goodies we made at my Santa Workshop.
If you want to come and make these little treats, I'm having another class on Saturday, December 10 at 10am.  Call or email me if you'd like to join us!  The class is just $15 or it's free with your $15 minimum Close To My Heart order.  Or if you want to buy the supplies to make your own treats, click here to shop online!  Bring a friend!