Everything's Coming Up Roses

This is my entry for week 8 at www.heart2heartchallenges.blogspot.com.  The challenge was to stamp your own background image.  It had been a loooong time since I had done this but it was lots of fun and very fast.  I used 2 stamp sets that don't have anything to do with trees.  Can you spot what they are?  The green part of the tree is actually a cloud from CTMH Over the Rainbow set and the trunk is the bottom of a cross from the beloved set.  Hearts and sprigs are from Over the Rainbow as well.  Colors used were Topiary, Chocolate, Tulip and Sweet Leaf.  All products are Close To My Heart.

This layout is of my daddy and 2 youngest sons.  I used the leftovers of the Miracle Kit from CTMH.  I already made a 9x9 My Creations album out of the bulk of the papers.  The kit is only available through the end of May.

The "stitching" around the center and title was made with a white gel pen.  I used Sweet Leaf, Crystal Blue and Sorbet inks to color the Irrisistebles embellishments that come with the Miracle Kit. 

H2H week 7

This is already week 7 over at www.heart2heartchallenges.blogspot.com.  This week's challenge is to use the colors Ocean, Topiary and Desert Sand.  I used ALL Close To My Heart products. My choices were simple because the only thing I had in Ocean and Desert Sand was cardstock and the only thing I had in Topiary was ink!  My DS and DIL celebrate 2 years of marriage this week so I decided to use the challenge criteria to create a card for them.

The stamp set I used is Soul Mates.  I embellished with our wonderful Glitz glitter glue and added a bow of Colonial White.    All of the submissions are beautiful, take a moment to check them out.

Technique Tag

The challenge this week at www.heart2heartchallenges.blogspot.com is to make anything using any technique.  I was in the process of making tags for a swap that I am in and thought it fit the bill perfectly.  The cage and bird were cut out using a new Tim Holtz Sizzix die.  There are several techniques involved in this project.  How many can you spy with your little eye?

1.  I used paper from the CTMH Felicity Collection and attached it to a cardstock tag.  I then used a sponge and CTMH Brown Bag ink to age the edges-a technique I use almost all the time. I also used the same ink and sponge to color the title tag at the top.
2.  I used a dark brown textured cardstock to cut the cage and then sprayed it with a homemade spritz.  In a mini mister bottle, I mixed a dab of CTMH Create-a-Shade Pearl Paint mixed with a few drops of Stormy Sky Distress Ink (you can also use CTMH reinkers) and filled to the top with water.  I shook it WELL and sprayed away.  This gives a shimmery, aged  metal look to the cage.
3.  On the bird cut out, I used a sponge to dab on CTMH Brown Bag ink on the legs and branch.  I dabbed on two layers of  ink on the bird and wing using CTMH Crystal Blue and Indian Corn Blue.  A black marker provided his eye.  The paper I used for the bird was from the CTMH Veranda Collection. 
4.  This one's a little hard to see in the pic but to make the bird a little stronger and give it a feathered look, I put a little CTMH Liquid Glass  on it and spread in one direction with my finger.  Love this product for so many reasons!

Remaining supplies were pearls and a brass brad.  Hope you enjoyed my tag as much as I enjoyed making it!

Mother's Day Gift

I made this for my 82 yo mom.  My parents are godly people with great faith.  I am going to put cards inside with the names of each of their children, grandchildren, great grandchildren and great-great grandchildren.  I will ask them to put a favorite scripture and/or prayer or thought on each card for the person listed on that card.  I hope they will be able to do this while they can.

All of the papers, ink and stamps are Close To My Heart (cardstock, Bella and Veranda).  The stamps are from Beloved and Delightful Things.  Ink is Hyacinth.  I did use a Copic marker to color the dove.  The flowers are Prima and I don't remember who made the pins.  The rhinestone word is from Michael's $ bin.

I am submitting this to www.heart2heartchallenges.blogspot.com for the current challenge of making something for Mother's Day.

So Blessed!

My son's graduation from  college Friday night was wonderful!  My husband and I are so blessed to have had the privilege to raise him and his brothers.