Fly Away Home

Can you believe it is time for Challenge #5 at Take Heart Ideas, and we have a fabulous prize waiting for the winner, so get out your CTMH products and start playing. Remember, Take Heart Ideas requires you use products from Close to My Heart, and you can include CTMH Cricut cartridges as products if you would like. Like last time, anything goes. Need some new supplies, shop here: http://scrapbookerphd.ctmh.com.

For my project, I wanted create my own background. I looked over my CTMH stamps for inspiration and found C157 Lifting Spirits Occasions with cloud shapes and an airplane. I colored them with my Spectrum Noir markers: TB 1, 2, and 3. Next, I added the bursts of yellow from S1406 Kaboom. I added some glitter. 

I stamped the airplane onto a tag die cut, and used my stash of ribbon and twine to end. I was inspired to put the string and twine from one of the airplanes that carry a message with them in the sky. For the sentiment, i punched a small orange tag and I used D1629 Just to Say (Artfully Sent set). 

Challenges Entered
Clear it Out Challenge: Orange
Inky Chicks: 3 stamps
Through the Craft Room Door: Anything Goes
Crafty Cardmakers: Die cuts or Punches
Pile it On: Create a Scene
Sunday Stamps: Colors
Crafty Calendar: Sparkle, Die Cut, Blue

Ready in minutes...

I wanted to make my husband a card to put in his briefcase as a cute surprise. We've had some great fun this summer, and I want to remember this summer forever. Being so busy, I had very little time to put something together. No problem. I went to my CTMH stash this time. I pulled out my Skylark kit and went to work. It doesn't hurt that I know my CTMH Cricut cartridges by heart. I used Artbooking; specifically, this cut file of a couple holding hands. This was definitely my inspiration, but everything else snapped together in minutes because the kit is designed to work together. 

The stamped sentiment is from the CTMH Take Note Cricut Bundle set (D1574) in Ponderosa Pine ink. 

Want the exact circle sizes and the couple cut (it is in Design Studio). Follow my blog and click on the link below. https://us.cricut.com/design#/canvas/project/19163718

Need CTMH Supplies, Just follow this LINK.

Just a POP of Color

If you are following along with me, you know that I'm enjoying the geometric patterns in the CTMH Skylark kit. The color palette is subtle and muted, but there are some fabulous pops of colors. I'm taking advantage of ever little bit of color to make my work POP as well. Follow my blog and get my simple Cricut file that goes along with this design.

Here is a link to the bird cutting file all sized and ready to be cut in Cricut Design Studio.
https://us.cricut.com/design/#/canvas/project/19156453 

 Need Supplies, Just follow this LINK.
  

When I saw this pattern with the birds perched along the top, I was instantly inspired because I knew that the Cricut CTMH cartridge Artbooking had a similar cut. I took advantage of this to create interest by making the birds blue and adding adding dimension to them as they are lifted off of the perch. I also used the blue as a mat between the kraft card and the patterned paper. The rest of the embellishments came right out of the Skylark kit. The stamp is from the Believe in Yourself Everyday Life (C1574) with Desert Sand ink. The ink is so perfect; the sentiment blends in exactly how I wanted.

Grab One and GO - Card 2

If you are reading my blog, you know about my quest for creating a Grab One and GO box. Right now, I'm working on generic multiple choice cards for those last minute - Oh! My neighbor got a promotion. I need a quick card. - You know us crafters have a reputation to protect. My friends think I'm made of cards and can recreate anything crafty they see. My Grab One and GO project is perfect for the incidentals of life.

Grab One and GO is also a great way for me to use my new Close to My Heart supplies.
Today, I'm working on my Grab One and GO Box using the CTMH Cricut Art Philosophy Tags Collection. It's a stamp set that is used in conjunction with the Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge. Buy the bundle HERE.

Here is my second card to enter the BOX...

This time, I decided to go with Celebration type paper, but since I wanted the stamp to stand out, I used only a small piece and then added generic patterned paper and card stock. The looking good button is from my stash, and I always use Skittles to add some POP to my work. Here, I'm using the color Bottle Glitter.

I'm a newbie to Close to my Heart, so I'm using my stash to off-set my CTMH addiction right now. Next up... Card 3.

Grab One and GO

Are you prepared? 

Sure, we prepare all the time for occasions with cards, layouts, frames, and more. 

I have an apple-shaped box for my nephews. I have a wedding box card. There is a tri-fold father's day card somewhere. I still have 8 Halloween cards from last Halloween. You name it - I have it. 

On the other hand...

I am not prepared to find out that the couple I'm having dinner with just retired. 
I am not prepare to find out that my neighbor was promoted. 
I am not prepared for learn that a friend bought a new home. 

It's those last minute life events where YOU should be the one that has the card. (Hey, we all have a reputation to protect!)

That's why you need the Grab One and GO Box. It's that box of cards that are generic. Happy Days cards. Thinking of you cards. My favorite: Multiple Choice Options. Lovely last minute card ready to go. 

Today, I'm working on my Grab One and GO Box using the CTMH Cricut Art Philosophy Tags Collection. It's a stamp set that is used in conjunction with the Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge. Buy the bundle HERE.

Here is my first first card to enter the BOX...

I based the entire card on this fantastic stamp from the CTMH Cricut Art Philosophy Tags. I used CTHM cranberry ink - and the stamp was so crisp and perfect on the Art Philosophy die cut. Right now, I love the combination of CTMH cranberry and lagoon ink, so that is how I chose my pattern papers. You can purchase the ink HERE . The stamp is a multiple choice congratulations stamp, so I went with the camera as a main embellishment.  Finally, I added a little bit of bling for shine. That small gray Skittles is a test run of embellishments from Carri, so if you like it, tell her I sent you. The gold rhinestone ribbon is more embellies from my stash.

Right now, I'm in this "off the edge" mood. I hope it passes. I've been having to make a lot of oversized envelopes!!

Challenges Entered
Card Mania: How Charming
Craft Your Passion: Citrus or Tropical Colors
Clear it out Challenges: Use up your stash
Color Throwdown: Colors

How do you use your scraps?

How do you use your scraps? Are they just in a box? Do you save them for some time and then just toss them? I specifically kept my scraps from this Tri-Fold Shutter Card that I made for Take Heart Ideas. I loved everything about this card, and I hoped I'd find time to play with these colors and patterns again. 

 (Original Card)

I used the CTMH stamp set Hello Wonderful Flair (B1443), which you can purchase HERE. 
This stamp is fantastic because it's 3" round and can be layered easily using any type of circle cutter. Instead of inking this with a colored ink, I used Versa Mark and dusted the stamp with Ranger, Perfect Pearls. I used the shade of Forever Red. The Perfect Pearls give of a beautiful shimmer. 

Here it is, 12 days later, and I finally got back to my scraps. Here's what I did using the Hello Wonderful Flair stamp using the Perfect Pearls in Heirloom Gold.  Instead of just using a circle die cut for the medallion, I used a scalloped and embossed circle cut. I also added a little shine with the two watermelon colored Skittles in the left corners and some metal photo corners on the right. 

Sweet and Charming... Feeling Happy

The day has finally arrived, Take Heart Ideas, has finally opened its doors. Take Heart Ideas is a place for inspiring scrapbooking, paper crafting, card making, and digital cutting. Take Heart Ideas starts its very first challenge today with and Anything Goes challenge, but Take Heart Ideas requires you use at least one product from Close to My Heart. You are in luck because Close to My Heart products can be anything from ink to Cricut cuts. The challenge starts today, July 2, and ends on July 27th. You don't want to miss out on a fabulous paper pack prize!

***Chance to win Blog Candy... read until the end!

Even though the theme of the challenge is anything goes, the Design Team used this color scheme for our sample projects:

That color scheme led me straight to my DCWV, Dear Jane Stack. There are such fabulous colors and patterns that are all in line with the watermelon color scheme. 

Because I had so many colors and patterns I wanted to use, I decided to start with a Tri-Fold Shutter Card. The base paper from the Dear Jane Stack has foil running down the left side of the paper, and I wanted that to be part of the card, so I cut the paper in such a way as to keep the foil. Then I layered different colors and patterns throughout the folds. Next, I used the CTMH stamp set Hello Wonderful Flair (B1443), which you can purchase HERE.

This stamp is fantastic because it's 3" round and can be layered easily using any type of circle cutter. Instead of inking this with a colored ink, I used Versa Mark and dusted the stamp with Ranger, Perfect Pearls. I used the shade of Forever Red. The Perfect Pearls give of a beautiful shimmer. 

The words: happy, love, and cherish were all cut from the CTMH Cricut cartridge, Artbooking. (Yes, using CTMH Cricut cuts count in Take Heart Challenges!). The words were cut from glitter card stock by DCWV. The photo corners were cut using Paper Artist's Fancy Corner die cut in my Spellbinders machine, and finally, the white lace butterflies were added with gems all around them. Want to buy the CTMH Cricut cartridge, Artbooking, click HERE.

WAIT, there is more... Follow my blog, and leave a comment letting me know you followed, and I will pick a random follower to win a stash of embellishments from CTMH!!! Winner will be announced July 16th when the  (US residents only.)

Challenges Entered:

Darling Cardmakers - No scissors

Totally Gorjuss - Pink and Green

Lauralcraft - Things with Wings

Love to Create Challenge - Three or more designer papers