Joyful Stars Close to My Heart February 2020 Blog Hop

Welcome to the February 2020

Close to My Heart Joyful Stars Blog Hop.

Have some fun hopping between the blogs of this group of talented Close to My Heart consultants, and me, where we share creative projects. 

I recently came across a You Tube card tutorial.  It said it was a "gorgeous fun fold that will change your life".   Of course I had to try it.  It's a nice fancy fold, although I doubt it will change my life.

But who knows?

 

The CTMH paper I used is called Spruced Up.

The stamps are from the February Stamp of the Month. 

Now, since this is a blog hop,

you might have arrived here from  Nancy Brown's blog.

Your next stop is Joyce Houck's blog.

The hop is circular.

If you are just starting here,

simply continue hopping until you find your way back,

making the full circle.

Here's the link to "the gorgeous fun fold card that will change your life".

Double Trouble Challenge # 29 GD Card #2

Double Trouble " Brown Bag-It Day" Challenge is in its second and final week.  Won't you join the fun?

THING 1: Trouble Maker

says, "In celebration of National Brown Bag-It Day, I've asked the Unknown Comic from the late Gong Show to inspire our challenge. Use Kraft paper, even a paper bag for your project."

Don't get the Gong, come play aLong!

Don't stop here...for more fun check out the optional Sketch challenge below.

THING 2: Double Dare

says, "What a great sketch to use for Kraft as an accent in your design, so many choices of what panel(s) to use." 

It's Optional...if you use this sketch you can also submit to Try Stamping on Tuesday Challenge #409 between the dates of May 28th - June 4th. Link your project HERE and you will receive an additional chance at the Double Trouble Random Draw. 

Use the DT cards below for ideas or use your own interpretation of the sketch. Feel free to change the orientation... rotate the sketch or use its mirror image. You may also modify shapes as long as we can see the basic sketch in your project. 

THING 3: Twisted Sister

says, "In my opinion I've been berry, berry good. Celebrate National Pick Strawberry Day with me and include strawberry(s) in your project and you can earn an additional chance at our random draw." 

Although not required, the sketch offers a perfect opportunity to use strawberry(s) as an embellishment or focal point.  

It was so awesome to be adopted into the

 Double Trouble Challenge family 

as a crazy cousin for the month of May 

that I made a second card.

For this card I used a precolored digi image of strawberries from Becci's Place, a kraft card base and kraft borders and I've followed the sketch above from Challenge #409 at Try Stampin' on Tuesday.

 

Challenges I am entering:
Try Stampin on Tuesday Challenge #409 -  see sketch above
Beccy's Place May Challenge - AG with one of Becci's images
QKR Stampede Challenge #349 - AG 
Polkadoodles Challenge week 21 - AG

Friendship Coffee card

This lovely sentiment and coffee/tea cup are digi images from Bugaboo stamps.

Another entry for the

 2019 Spring/Summer Coffee Lovers' Blog Hop. 

 

Tea Time Card

In a set of miscellaneous stamps, a freebie from my Cardmaking and Papercraft magazine, I noticed a simple little stamp perfect for the current Coffee Lovers Blog Hop.  

And once again, a card is born....

This fun background paper is from Stampin Up.

Challenges:

Coffee Lovers Blog Hop

A Gem of a Challenge Week 8 - AG

Cardz 4 Galz Challenge #95 - Ribbon/Lace 

Crafty Sentiments Design Challenge - Ribbon/Lace 

Pile It On Challenge #154 - Beverage

CTMH Spring Fling

Today was Joyce Houck's annual Spring Fling, 

a day to get together with friends, make cards, see and try out some of the products in the new CTMH catalog.  Circulating from table to table, we each made four different cards, stopped for lunch, and then made four more cards.  And there were door prizes, raffles and wonderful desserts.

Here are the cards we made:

A fun day was had by all 

except Joyce.

She was home sick! 
Thanks for a great day, Joyce.
Hope you feel better soon!

******************

I have one more card to show you today.

It's a CAS card, not my forte. 

 The stamps are CTMH.  The actual card measures 4 x 5.25 and is mounted on a 4.25 x 5.5 of brown cs.  This gives you a nice contrasting border when the card is closed and when it is open.  The little hearts on the top right are stamped and have just a drop of Liquid Glass on them to make them shine.  The scallops are a stamp, too.  I can't believe I got them straight!

Challenges:

2019 Spring/Summer Coffee Lovers' Blog Hop ( I can't believe there are over 300 entries and it is only the second day!)

The Alphabet Challenge - "C" for CAS

Creative Knockouts Challenge #296 - Friendship

Three Amigos Blog Hop Challenge - Food/Drink

Addicted to Stamps Challenge #339 - CAS

DL.ART May Linky Challenge - AG

 

Double Trouble Challenge #28 Guest Designer

It was so awesome to be adopted into the Double Trouble Challenge family as a crazy cousin for the month of May!

Not only am I crazy about card making but I am crazy about being a Red Hatter, too.  

Check out the fabulous image that 

Sue Reynolds created just for me:

Normally, the Double Trouble Challenge starts on a Monday, but this week the fun begins on Friday to coordinate with the Coffee Lovers' Blog Hop. 

WELCOME to Challenge #28 

 Let the Troubles Begin!

THING 1: Trouble Maker

would like you to create projects that fall within the Spring/Summer months (special friend/family occasions, May Day, Cinco de Mayo, Mother's Day, Patriotic Holidays).

THING 3: Twisted Sister

says "Some like it hot, some like it cold, I like it all"  Include your favorite drink that you'd share with friends and family.    

This is an OPTIONAL twist and you will be awarded an additional chance in Double Trouble's random prize draw. 

THING 2: Double Dare

says "If you have included food or drink you can join the Three Amigos Blog Hop Challenge #26 "Food/Drink".   To post, click HERE. This gives you an additional chance at winning the Double Trouble Random Draw.

A Double, Double Dare - Don't forget! If you created a spring/summer project with a coffee, tea or cocoa theme or sentiment, you are eligible to enter your project HERE  for the 2019 Spring/Summer Coffee Lover's Blog Hop through Friday, May 10th (details below).

2019 Spring/Summer 

Coffee Lover's Blog Hop

Friday May 3rd - Friday, May 10th

There are great prizes and no limits to the number of entries. The more entries the better your chances for winning Coffee Lovers' BlogHop random prizes from over 60 super sponsors.  

Create a Spring/Summer project to include some sort of coffee, tea or cocoa element and/or sentiment. How simple is that?

For inspiration, sing along with Frank Sinatra's The Coffee Song. You'll be glad you did!

The Coffee Blog Hop closes at 12:00 midnight, Pacific Standard Time, on Friday, May 10th. However, Double Trouble is biweekly and we'd like you to play along with us throughout our entire challenge. 

BLOG CANDY  If you participate in any of these three challenges you can become a possible recipient of this Blog Candy.  To qualify all you need to do enter into our Double Trouble Challenge, make a comment on this post and tell us "What's your favorite hot/cold drink during Spring/Summer months.  We will have a random draw after each 10 qualifying entrants.  Some of the prizes:  a coffee mat, or Spellbinder Die, or Stamp Set, or....even a Starbuck's Gift Card.   

If we have more than 40 qualifying entrants on the last day of the Coffee Lover's BlogHop we will have a final random draw to include all entrants.  This prize will include several items.  

All prizes will be awarded at the end of Double Trouble Challenge #28. 

With Mother's Day in the USA coming up next Sunday, May 12th, I pulled out some retired CTMH stamps to make this card:

I hope you'll be able to join the fun this week at 

the Double Trouble Challenge blog, Three Amigos Blog Hop Challenge and the 2019 Spring/Summer Coffee Lovers Blog Hop.

Challenges I am entering:

Three Amigos Blog Hop Challenge - Food/Drink

2019 Spring/Summer Coffee Lovers Blog Hop - coffee, tea or cocoa element and/or sentiment

Cuttlebug Mania Challenge - For Mum or a special woman

Through the Craft Room Door Challenge Week of April 30th - AG

Incy Wincy Designs Challenge Apr. 15th - May 5th - Coffee/Tea Time

Die Cuttin Divas Challenge #418 - AG
Aud Sentiments Challenge #226 - Feminine + a Sentiment
DL.ART May Linky Challenge - AG
Crafty Hazelnut's May Patterned Paper Challenge - AG

Fabric fancy fold cards

This past Thursday I spent the morning in Paradise.

Quite literally, I was in Paradise, PA.

That is the location of Farmhouse Memories, an old farmhouse filled with fabrics and card and scrapbooking supplies.

It was my first time taking a card class there, and I thoroughly enjoyed the class and a bit of shopping afterwards.

Here are photos of the two cards we made:

This is a vertical joy fold card using fabric flowers.

The bottom multicolored panel is fabric, too.

Good thing I like fussy cutting!  The rose buds were pretty small.  But check out the next card....

This is a box card.  All the frogs, butterflies and flowers were cut from fabric.

Back of card.

Here you can see the layers inside the box.

There are more pictures here on the Farmhouse Memories blog.

And here's a simple birthday card I put together yesterday, here at home, using a few scraps.

The Happy Birthday die is from MFT; the glitter "2U" were cut on the cricut. 

The kitty with cake was a freebie stamp from a magazine.

Challenges:

Crafty Catz Challenge #459 - ATG 

A Gem of a Challenge Week #8 - ATG

Aud Sentiments Challenge #225 - Birthday Sentiment

Seize the Birthday Challenge #164 - Texture

And while I have time to post, 

I'll share this Thank You card with you, too. 

(The stitched rectangle dies used are from ODBD)

 My friend had a box of stamps she was giving away and she let me go through them.  Of course I saved this hat stamp!  As a member of the Red Hat Society,  I'll enjoy using it.

Challenges:

Die Cuttin' Divas Challenge #417 - Red Hat Society Day; use red and/or purple 

Allsorts Challenge Week 517 - Mother's Day or Feminine 

Cardz 4 Galz Challenge #95 - Ribbon or Lace Trim

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge - ATG 

 

 

Card Club Penny Card

Today at Card Club we made this cute motion card.

The gal sitting next to me got some ink smudges on the top left portion of her card, so we added a few banners to hide them.  It looked so cute, I added some to my card.  Then we used the same paper to cover the inside penny, too.

Thanks for stopping by.

  

Tuesday Throwdown Challenge #420 with Sweet n Sassy

It's been a month since I've posted a design team card for Tuesday Throwdown Challenge, having had a little break for Thanksgiving.  To make up for it, I'm using two cute digital images from Sweet n Sassy Stamps, our wonderful sponsor this week, and sharing two cards with you.  The Tuesday Throwdown Challenge theme is Anything Goes, so please come join the fun.

using a Nutcracker for Evan

digital stamp

  and

using Winter Friends Digital Stamp

I hope you'll join us at Tuesday Throwdown Challenge this week with something, anything, it's all up to you. My wonderful teamies all have creations of their own to show you and would be so happy if you would take the time to visit their blogs and leave them a some love.

And, in case you aren't familiar with our sponsor...  

 

  Sweet'n Sassy Stamps is a small, family-owned, Christian company offering exclusive images,designs and sentiments in both clear and digital stamps. They also carry a small number of exclusive die designs, some of which coordinate with their stamps. A wonderful Bible Journaling line of stamps is also available.

Joyful Stars Close to My Heart September Blog Hop

Welcome to the September

Close to My Heart Joyful Stars Blog Hop.

 

Have some fun hopping between the blogs of this group of talented Close to My Heart consultants, and me, where we share creative projects using CTMH products.

Today I have a pocket card and tag to share with you.

 The stamps are from the CTMH September Stamp of the Month set.

Papers are from the CTMH Festive Friendship paper, which was just retired.

Now, since this is a blog hop,

you might have arrived here from  Andrea Sherman's blog.

Your next stop is Marie Flayer's blog.  

The hop is circular.  If you are just starting here, simply continue hopping until you find your way back,

making the full circle.

If you get lost, the complete list of participants is on

Joyce's blog.

Challenges I am entering: 

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Use stamps, no digis

DL.Art Thankful Thursday Challenge #235 - Always Thankful 

Crafty Hazelnut's September Patterned Paper Challenge - AG with patterned paper 

Crafter's Cafe Challenge #203 - 3 of something (sequins) 

Crazy 4 Challenges #451 - Show appreciation for someone 

Cocoa with Marshmallows

I treated myself to two new stamp sets from Sweet n Sassy.  Yesterday, I shared two cards I made with the For the Birds stamp set.  Today, I'm sharing two cards featuring the Cup of Cocoa stamp set.

 This little guy was stamped, colored with markers and then fussy cut.  Two of the ladies in my Red Hat Chapter will find these cards in their mailboxes, which explains the red and purple color scheme.  Inside of each card is a simple stamped "Happy Birthday".

Challenges:

2 Crafty Critter Crazies Challenge #10 - Anything with a Critter Goes
The Crafty Addicts Challenge #44 - Anything Goes (I decided not to use the option of blue)
Simon Says Wednesday Challenge - Something New (stamps)
Scrapy Land Challenge #81 - Anything Goes (I used Spellbinders and La La Land dies.)
Crafty Creations Challenge #357 - Anything Goes
Crafting By Designs Challenge - January Edition - Anything Goes

Yesterday, I went to a card class here in Florida. 

Marlene Bovee designed these two cards for us to make:

1. a great masculine card

 and
2. a sweet Valentine

 

and Joan Fetterman designed the first card below which uses a 3 layered image.

 

I really like this sentiment.  And I also like the black and gold card base.  So when I got home, I cut off the card front and then die cut the sentiment and a frame from the inside and substituted a white card base.  Now I can use the remaining piece for something else.

For her second card, Jane turned us loose with some fabulous Anna Griffin card bases, inserts, sentiments and cuts out to make a Christmas card.  The choices made this card the hardest.

Wow! A Valentine, a masculine Birthday, an Anniversary, a Christmas card and great fun in The Villages!

Missed you Linda! 
and miss the girls back home, too!