Gina's Little Corner of StampinHeaven

Mother's Day is just around the corner.  I'm a little behind on getting my cards made but I have finished one!  I'm sharing this one today.  I couldn't wait to get the "Mother's Day" stamp when it was first released in Close To My Heart's Spring Summer Idea Book.  I actually started this card over a week ago and after playing around with ideas for a while I had to set it aside.  One of those lack of mojo days I guess.  But I came back to it last weekend and began to put it together.  I love using silhouette stamps. There is an elegance about them that really appeals to me.  I'm not sure I did this one justice but I do like the way the card turned out. I used some paper from the Skylark  (X7177B) paper pack.  For my Mother's Day sentiment I cut a shape from the Art Philosophy Cricut Cartridge and stamped the frame with one of the frames from the set - Frame Flair (D1546).   I used sparkles from the Sparkles Clear Assort...

Is it just me or has this year FLOWN by?!  It seems like just yesterday that I was beginning to think about my daughter's final semester of high school and now she has just completed her first semester of college!   One minute I was planning a graduation party and looking forward to Close To My Heart's annual convention and the next minute I'm frantically finishing up my Christmas shopping and getting excited about the new Spring/Summer Idea book arriving at my door on Christmas Eve! We are just days away from 2014 and I took a look back on this past year through my blog.   Somehow in my busy life I managed to find a little bit of scrapping time.   I totaled up all the cards I created through 2013.  WOW.... Sympathy cards - 4 Love and/or Valentine Cards - 7 All Occasion Cards - 31 Birthday Cards - 32 Congratulations / Celebration - 9 Wedding - 1 Baby - 3 Thinking of You - 3 Thanks - 11 Mother's Day - 2 Father's Day - 1 Christmas - 23 ...

I popping in for a quick post here to show off some popcorn bags!  I've got a busy day of creating ahead of me.  Many things planned - let's see how many I actually get accomplished! Last night I held my October Girl's Night Out Event.   I had 16 ladies attending and since it IS October I thought it would be fun to share some Halloween treats. I these made these little popcorn boxes of goodies for each table centerpiece that held some yummy treats! These were so quick and easy to create - only took minutes! The paper is from the retired Spellbound paper pack that was absolute STEAL on the Close to My Heart website a few weeks ago.  ($3 a pack!!) Recipe Paper - Spellbound (Retired) Artiste Cricut Cartridge - Z1790 Bags -  Artiste Cricut Cartridge: 4" 3-D Object <m> Shape - Artiste Cricut Cartridge: 4" 3-D Object Shift <M> Stamp - Perfect Fit - Halloween (B1413) 1 1/4" Punch Ink: Black Cardstock: White Daisy & Suns...

I needed to make a card for an upcoming party.   Since it's summer, I thought using the Surf's Up paper would be perfect!   I used Honey and Sorbet ink for my palm tree and flower, first inking the stamp in honey and then rolling the edges in Sorbet.  I love the look of this technique.   The palm tree, flower and little waves are from the stamp set Tropical Paradise (C1531). I cut the conversation bubble using the Artiste Cricut cartridge and stamped it with "thanks" using a stamp set that is included in the Artiste Cricut Cartridge Collection . This card makes me want to go to the beach! I'm entering this card into the following challenges: Heart2Heart challenge - create something tropical CAS-ual Fridays - Banners or Flags

Here is a quick card I made last night.  I'm still working on getting the hang of 'clean and simple'.  I used the sketch from CAS(E) This Sketch and the colors from Playdate Cafe .  When I saw both challenges I just knew they had to go together!  I used In the Background (D1540)  stamp because I can't get enough of the chevrons! My tropical flowers are from another new set - Tropical Paradise (C1531) .  For a little pizzazz to the card I added Glitz Glitter Gel - Stardust (Z1313) so I'm also entering this card into CAS-ual Friday's Challenge. I used Close To My Heart's colors of Sunset, Outdoor Denim and Crystal Blue. Challenges:                                                        

Oh boy, what a week I've had.  We've been going through our Fiscal Year End at work so I've been working long (VERY long) hours this past week.   I would leave the house before my hubby even stirred in bed and came home long after he'd already gone BACK to bed.  My dog missed me so much that in the morning he'd come hang out in the bathroom with me as I got ready for another long day at work.  We finished up Friday night and I was anxious to get back in my 'Little Corner of Stampinheaven' to play. Even though I knew I wouldn't be able to create until today, I still checked out my favorite blog challenges everyday.   So today, I revisited a few that I wanted to participate in. Today, I created a card that I could enter into three of my favorite challenges - Unscripted Sketches (sketch), CAS-ual Fridays (Chevron and Flowers) and Dynamic Duos (colors). The colors I used for this card are Close To My Heart's color Juniper and Ruby.  I love the...

Clean and Simple cards are actually a little difficult for me!  I have to really hold myself back from adding lots of embellishments.  I try though.... maybe one of these days I'll get the CLEAN and SIMPLE part down.    Here is my attempt today: Today's Heart 2 Heart Challenge is create a Clean and Simple Card, while over at CAS-ual Friday their challenge was to add a little bit of silver to a clean and simple card.  So, I thought I'd might as well use the sketch from Clean and Simple Stamping and create something for all three! For this card I used a bit of paper from the Later Sk8r (X7167B) paper pack and some silver paper from the Black and Grey Glitter Paper (Z1829) .  I used the Artiste Cricut cartridge to cut a couple gears in the silver paper.  I have to say, this glitter paper cuts like butter on my cricut! And, I really like that it doesn't leave glitter everywhere!  The background stamp and "No Fear" is from the stamp ...

I have a few monthly Hostess Clubs that get together each month and create scrapbooking layouts using Close To My Heart's Workshop On the Go kits.  I started my first club about 4 years ago and over the years I have expanded into 4 clubs.   Some ladies have come and gone and some have been with me the entire time.   The ladies in my clubs are not just customers, they have become dear friends.  Not only to me, but to the other ladies in the club. One of my club members had surgery this week.  She has a long road of more surgeries and healing ahead of her and I've been thinking of her alot this past week.  Today I sat down to make her a card to hopefully brighten her day.   I used this sketch from Clean & Simple Stamping for my card.   My colors were inspired by Close To My Heart's Flirty paper pack.   I used Goldrush, New England Ivy and Flirty Raspberry cardstock.    I decided to emboss the stamped image directly on top of...

Happy Mother's Day to all Mothers! I am so thankful for my mom.  She has always been there for me.  She supports everything I do and always encourages me when I'm down. I made a special Mother's Day card for my mom.   She loves to work in her yard (which is BEAUTIFUL BTW) and she loves birds.  I thought that the colors of Buttercup and Juniper, along with the bird made the perfect card for my mom. I used dotted Buttercup paper from the special Dotty For You paper pack.  (This special ends May 31st!)  The bird and vine were cut with the Art Philosophy Cricut Cartridge.   I stamped "Happy" with the Polka Dot Alphabet (D1469) and "Mother's Day" is from a retired set.  The Polka Dot Alphabet stamp is perfect with the dotted paper! I added two resin flowers from the Bouquet Assortment (Z1694). I used the sketch from the Sketchbook Saturday Challenge (#59) and the colors were inspired by a brand new blog challenge - Dynamic Duos ....

Close To My Heart has a cute little New Arrival (C1501) stamp set in the new Spring Summer Idea Book.  I don't have too baby type stamps and whenever I need to make a card for a baby shower, I never seemed to have one I really liked.   When the new Idea Book came out I quickly added this one to my collection. CAS-ual Friday's challenge this week is "make a clean and simple baby project".  I had the perfect opportunity to try it out! I used the sketch from Freshly Made Sketches for my  4 1/4 x 5 1/2 card. I used the Cotton Candy B&T paper from the Lucy (X7149B) paper pack for my card.  The base in the center is random stamped with the little flower from the New Arrival stamp using Cotton Candy ink.  If the center looks a little off, it is my elephant is 'springing' to greet you!  I used one of Close to My Heart's new products - Adhesive Springs (Z1725) .  These little 3/4" springs will make your artwork 'pop'!  You get six spri...

I just love the little lollipops made with Baker's Twine!  I wanted to give it a try so I combined CAS-ual Friday Challenge (use ribbons) and Inspired By Challenges for this card.   I used the Baker's Twine Paradise Assortment (Z1702) for my lollipops.  The colors of twine are Lagoon, Honey, Sunset and Smoothie.  I LOVE these colors!  I used Brads and Ribbons from our Mini Medley Assortment collection.  "Birthday Greetings" is from the new set - Just a Number (D1514).    To make my lollipops, I inserted a brad so holding the twine under the brad as I flatted then prongs. This holds the twine in place.  I then added a swirl of liquid glass around the brad in a circle as big as I wanted the lollipop to be.  This helps adhere the twine in place as I wrapped it around.   A simple card but fun to make! Here is the inspiration pictured from Inspired By Challenge.  I'm so glad to get to play along this t...

So sorry I've been away!  I had my Open House Celebration for Close To My Heart's new Spring Summer Idea Book  on Saturday so I have been very busy getting ready for that.   I'll be sharing some of my creations over the next couple of weeks. Also, last week, my oldest daughter celebrated her birthday and I wanted to make something special for her.  Kirsti moved out last fall into an apartment she shares with a friend.   We got her a new comforter set for her bedroom when she moved and she didn't really have much for her walls.   When I saw the Fashionista (D1504) stamp set in the new Idea Book, it reminded me so much of Kirsti!  She loves clothes and she has more shoes than I probably have had my entire life!  I thought this stamp would make the perfect wall art for her room - right along side the specially made shoe shelf her dad made her!    I think this picture was a hit! I stamped the images on to White Daisy Cardstock....

Black and White and no other color - not even a speck! That is the challenge over at CAS-ual Friday this week.  It is so hard to not add just a tinny whinny bit of color!  But, I remembered a new stamp I just got.  It is one of the stamps in the new Close to My Heart's 2012 Spring/Summer Idea Book which is due out February 1.  This is one of those stamps that was 'love at first sight' and from that point on I knew it was a "HAVE TO HAVE".    I've been so busy this past week, tonight was the first time I got to pull it out and give it whirl. Here is my Black and White ONLY card! Cool isn't it?  I love it!  This stamp is called " Fashionista ".   There are 4 different girls on this set and they are all Shopping Fashionistas!  I used only one girl on this card - you'll have to wait until February 1st to see all four lovely ladies!  Fashionistas should stand out, so I stamped the her on a separate sheet of...

I spent literally ALL weekend pulling my tax information together for my Close To My Heart Business. Last year I waited until the last minute and I had promised myself I wouldn't do that again.  I told myself that I would not do any creating until I finished.  I expected to spend most of Saturday on this task but it ended up taking me 2 days!  I don't know why I can't record everything monthly! If I did, I wouldn't have to spend an entire weekend doing it!  But every year it is the same thing and every year I say I'm going to be better.  Maybe this year....... The first thing I did Saturday morning was to printed out a page of challenges that I wanted to try.  I set them aside until I was free to play!  Finally, I was able to step into my craft room tonight.  Armed with two color challenges I begin pulling inks and cardstock.  The first color challenge I decided to do was from The Play Date Cafe .   I also decided to combine this with ...

Well I didn't get much scrap therapy in yesterday.  It was late when I finally did get in there.  I started out attempting to do the challenge from Friday Mash-up which was to Create a project with a snowman and/or use their colors combo  - which would have been Blush, Twilight and Grey Wool in the Close To My Heart color world.   I had a snowman in mind I wanted to use but when I went to get it I couldn't find it.   I finally decided it must have gone to my sale box!  But I did find another one to use.   I decided I would use the sketch from Freshly Made Sketches .   I had so much trouble coming up with something I liked using the colors from Friday Mashup.  It was late and my brain just couldn't get past the traditional colors for Winter and Christmas.  I finally threw aside my Blush cardstock and stuck with Grey Wool and Twilight. I used Close To My Heart's Wonderland (X7146B) paper for my background.   I also used my spra...