Oh Deer Christmas Cards

For Christmas cards this year, I am really behind!!! Having a second baby can do that, I suppose. I decided to go with a simple design, but with big impact. I used the Oh Deer paper pack, Complements, and Accessories, and added some bling with shimmer trim and retired Paper Fundamentals Complements.I skipped stamping this year, in order to finish quickly. I had to make 12 cards, and here's what I came up.

I am entering these cards in this week's Heart 2 Hear Oh Deer Challenge, Between the Folds Oh Deer Challenge, and Color My Heart's Color Dare #223.

Unfortunately, I have some bad news. At the end of the year, I will no longer be an active Consultant with Close to My Heart. I will still be maintaining this blog to offer tips and tricks, display my artwork, and offer instructions/ cut guides. I hope you continue to join me!

Happy scrapping, my artsy friends!

Thanksgiving Thank You Card

This year for Thanksgiving, we are going to visit my husband's grandparents. I wanted to make a Thank You card to thank them for feeding us and housing us for a few days. Here's what I came up with.

I used a Colonial White card base, and layered Kraft paper and a retired CTMH fall, B&T paper. I also added some bronze shimmer trim to create a dividing line on the card. For the sentiment, I stamped Cocoa ink on Kraft paper using the retired Thanksgiving Wreath stamp set.

For the pumpkin and leaves, I used the retired Thankful Heart stamp set. I stamped all of the items using pigment ink and then heat embossed to give them texture. I then hand colored them all with markers. Finally, I took a quilling tool to curl the edges of the leaves.

I am entering this card in Heart 2 Heart's Get Your Kraft On Challenge.

Happy Scrapping, My Artsy Friends!

Birthday Banner, Bag, and Card

Besides selling CTMH products, I do commissioned work as well. I was commissioned to make a birthday banner, bag, and card for a 2yr old girl's birthday. The theme is sea creatures and mermaids, and the color scheme is purple and teal.

The banner is made with three separate pieces to offer variety in decorating.

The gift bag is made with two sheets of Paper Fundamentals in Gypsy (now retired).

The card is a very simple birthday cake card that I brought in sea creatures to tie it altogether.

I sell this entire set for $30 + shipping. If you are interested in purchasing a birthday kit, please email me at watkinsaprilm@yahoo.com. I accept payment through PayPal only.

Happy Scrapping, My Artsy Friends!

Superhero Birthday Card

My oldest son is in preschool this year. He just got invited to his first birthday party for a class friend! The boy will be four and LOVES superheroes. It just so happens that my son had a superhero birthday party for his 3rd birthday, and I already had the perfect stamp to use for his friend's card!

I used a CTMH White Daisy card base and the blue chevron mat is the retired Indian Blue Paper Fundamentals. The circles are several different paper brands from the local craft store that I cut using a Sizzix circle set. The superhero boy and sentiment are from My Favorite Things Super Boy set. You can't really tell from this photo, but the lightning bolt and sentiment have been highlighted with the CTMH Shimmer Brush. This brush adds just a flash of light and glitter to a specific area of your designs.

For the inside of the card I used more of the red polka dot paper to mat some White Daisy cardstock. I wanted to leave the inside blank, so my son could draw his friend a picture.

I am entering this card in the current Seize the Birthday Anything Goes Challenge and Paru's Cardmaking November Challenge. 

Happy Scrapping, My Artsy Friends!

Christmas Lights Layout

Every year, my town has a beautiful Christmas lights display on the square. My son absolutely loves walking through the light tunnels. Last year, the colors were perfect for an old Doodle Bug paper pack I had in my stash. The Doodle Bug paper pack is called Winter Friends, and I have no idea how old it is. I bought it a few years ago, but I believe it was already retired at that point.

So, for this layout, I used the Cricut Create a Critter 2 cartridge to cut out these adorable penguins, polar bear.

For the both pages, I also added a fun light string stamped design using a retired Close to My Heart Stamp of the Month. Unfortunately, not as much ended up showing as I had originally intended.

This little twinkle was from the same stamp set.

Finally, I added some funky Christmas trees from the Cozy Christmas Thin Cuts Bundle. This is a stamp set that comes with the Thin Cuts! The sentiment is also from this stamp set. And, the Enamel and Glitter Duos Blue Dots also matched this paper pack perfectly!

I am entering this layout in the Heart 2 Heart Holiday Challenge, which asks for holiday designs without red or green!

Close to My Heart Ingredients:

• Glitter Duos Blue Dots
• Cozy Christmas Thin Cuts Bundle
• White Daisy Cardstock
• Black Cardstock
• Slate Cardstock
• Peacock Ink Pad

Happy Scrapping, My Artsy Friends!

Autumn Wishes Card

Happy National Stamping Month again! Each month I design a simple card for my Home Gatherings. When I also have online gatherings, I create a video tutorial to share with the guests. For September, I created a simple card using the Autumn Wishes stamp set and Whimsy Fundamentals.

If you are interested in viewing the tutorial and playing along, you can view it here, or below.

If you would like to host your own gathering, please contact me through my website, or by commenting below. 

Measurements: 

• Standard size card base
• Chocolate Cardstock 4x5.25in
• Canary Whimsy Fundamentals 3.75x5in
• Pumpkin cut using Artbooking at 2in Real Dial Size
• Circle cut using Artbooking at 1in Real Dial Size

Happy Scrapping, My Artsy Friends!

Hawiian Birthday Card

Hello readers! September is National Stamping Month! CTMH is celebrating by offering a really adorable mini card set. You can order yours here.

I am kicking off my celebration with a Hawaiian inspired birthday card for a friend.

For the base of this card, I used a retired paper fundamentals sheet in lagoon. The pineapple was cut from the Artistry Cricut cartridge. And, the flowers are stamps from the retired Blossoming Friendship set. I used the second generation stamping method for to create the two tone look of the flowers. 

I am entering the card in the Heart 2 Heart stamping challenge.

Happy Scrapping, My Artsy Friends!