H2H: Merry Christmas

I've been having computer woes...that combined with the busyness of this time of year hasn't afforded me much time for posting. But I did want to wish all of my followers the merriest of Christmases! May your hearts truly know the joy of the season.  Here's a card for the Heart 2 Heart Challenge  which is a virtual holiday card exchange.

 For more 2011 Christmas cards: 2011 CHRISTMAS CARDS

Thanks for stopping by!
Marie with a :)

Color Challenge

This week's Heart 2 Heart Challenge  is a color challenge: Autumn Terracota, Juniper and Bamboo.  With my newly organized Room (see previous post) I have a new spot for taking pictures and the colors don't seem to be showing up quite right. But here's my take:

Recipe: Perfect Day paper, Typeset Paper,  autumn terracota, and juniper and bamboo cardsotck. Miscellaneous ribbon and stick pins, Thank You stamp set.  All products CTMH except stick pins and ribbon. The butterfly was cut with the CTMH Art Philosophy cartridge.

Thanks for taking a peek,

Marie with a :)

It's Story Time!

The Heart 2 Heart  challenge for this week is a SCRAP BOOK LAYOUT!!! Woo hoo...just the motivation that I needed to see if I remembered how to scrapbook :) The "challenge" was to tell a story with your layout. I opted to tell of the night my daughter's fiance proposed...and how his plans were almost ruined by a FLASH FLOOD :(
You can click on the photos to enlarge for detail.
So...I really love the 3D flowers however, they don't seem very practical for scrapbook pages as they are way too bulky. I wonder how other scrapbookers deal with the bulk?  I'm glad the Art philosophy also has flat flower shapes :)

 I'll do my best to add the recipe, but it's a bit more challenging with a layout...lots of supplies were used for this! All products Close To My Heart unless otherwise noted.  Recipe: Paper pack: Roxie (including the black cardstock) , stamp sets: Moments in Time (retired) and the Roxie Workshop on the Go set., buttons (red assorted), Pretty Pink pin, Fouondry pin, Foundry ribbon slides, Filigree Charms (center of  flower),  Sparkles, Milepost shapes (corrugated starts), smoothie re-inker (I sprayed the stars, tage, part of the paper , letters and cream ric rac ribbn with glimmer mist/ re-inker using one of our wonderful spray pens.) There's a tutorial for glimmer mist on my "Tutorials and Such" page above) Designer Ribbon (red collection), bulk ric rac ribbon chipboard circles.

I used the Art Philosophy cartridge to cut the flowers, tag, envelope, heart, large circles and letters!

Thanks for stopping by!
Marie with a :)

What's the big deal?

Why is the Art Philosophy Cricut Cartridge receiving so much attention?  Well, to start with, check out some of  these prices:

  3D Flowers

  ONE SIZE ONLY Pillow Box

  ONE SIZE ONLY butterfly

ONE SIZE ONLY card shape

That's a total of $94.07 if you want just these four dies.

The CTMH Art Philosophy cartridge for the Cricut does all of these things in a variety of sizes AND SO, SO, SO MUCH MORE. Shapes (geometric, tags, leaves, hearts and so on),  fonts, cards (96 different shapes!), boxes (8 different boxes!) envelopes, flowers (including 3D varieties)  it AND COMES WITH 3 COORDINATING STAMP SETS PLUS 3 COORDINATING CHIPBOARD SETS. All for $99!

Many places have the Cricut machines on sale right now.  Why not put it on your Christmas wish list? And add the amazing Cricut Cartridge while you are at it.  You won't need any other expensive dies!

Here's a darling "cupcake" box created by my downline:

I can't get this photo to turn :(  

Thanks for stopping by!

Marie with a :)

Some Kinda CASE'D cards

CASE stands for Copy and Share Everywhere 

When I saw THIS CARD  on Vicki Wizniuk's blog, I wanted to create something similar. Here are my attempts! (Take a look around Vicki's blog...she's got some GREAT creations.)

Recipe (All products CTMH unless otherwise noted)

Cardstock: Cocoa

Paper: Olivia (retired), Dreamin (leaves)

Ink: Cocoa, Barn Red

Stamp Set: Timeless (retired)

Embellishments: velour ribbon  (Hobby Lobby), sparkles (unknown)  

Tools: Art Philosophy CTMH cricut Cartridge (leaves, cut at 2 1/2 ") , scallop circle punch, circle punch, pop dots, liquid glass (on top leaf)

Recipe (all products CTMH unless otherwise noted)

Card stock: Olive

Ink: Cocoa, Barn Red

Stamp Set: Remarkable Wreath, glitz (stardust), hemp, 

Embellismnents: opaques (cocoa), foundry ribbon slide, ribbon (retired - I think it's either olive or garden green)

Thanks for stopping by!

Marie with a :)

Happy BlogtoberFest! Day 2

Okay, so I know some of you have been at it for longer than two days, but I just discovered the challenge yesterday :)  In case you didn't catch it from my last post, here is what Blogtoberfest is all about:
Step up your game, set a goal, or just aim for a better blog. There are really no rules, just a commitment to have fun and Celebrate your Blog! For more information, click the Blogtoberfest link on the side bar.


One way that I hope to improve my blog is by adding at least some semblance of a "recipe" for my projects.  So here goes!

All products are Close To My Heart unless otherwise noted.
Card stock: Tulip, black
paper: That's Amore (retired)
Stamp Sets: Card Chatter - Sympathy (inside),  Scripture Collection 6 by Our Daily Bread, Trust in the Lord by Sweet and Sassy
 Embellishments:Journaling spots, Pearl Opaques, Pretty in Pink pin (heart pin is by Memory Makers),
Flowers and inside label cut by Art Philosophy (the exclusive CTMH Cricut Cartridge!)
Ink: black
butterfly on inside: Just Blooms Paper Shapes (colored with a spray pen and reinker)

Incidentally, Psalm 84:11 is one of my favorite verses!

Thanks for stopping by!
Marie with a :)

A Real Challenge...

(If you've visited this blog before I'd love your input on the new look.)

Anyway...I always look forward to the Monday Heart To Heart challenge...but this week's was a REAL challenge... some sketches just don't come easy and this was one of those:

(inside)

Here are a couple of other recent cards:

This is one that I case'd from a convention swap but I don't remember who I case'd it from :( 

Inspired by My Wonderful Downline :)

It's ironic really.
Donna was the one who first got me into stamping, nearly a decade ago.
(Even though I was totally intimidated by her fabulous work.)
Since then she has become like family to me; one of my best friends.
Just recently she became my downline :)
And she continues to inspire me in many ways, including in the crafting arena.  Here's a card she made:

I used some pieces I had already cut out and made another easel card, copying her idea:

Here's a couple more of her creations:

And finally, here's a baby card I made using some OLDER CTMH paper:

(after viewing the photos, I think I am going to stamp "welcome" above the "sweet baby girl" on the front.

I had a part time job proposition today, involving my crafts, so I would appreciate it if my praying friends lift a prayer for me as I seek wisdom and discernment. Thanks for stopping by!  Marie with a :)

H2H: Card stock only challenge

Here's my really quick take on the Heart 2 Heart Challenge which was to use only card stock (3 colors) and NO PATTERNED PAPER. Easel cards are super quick and easy to make and you will find a tutorial under my "tutorials and such" page at the top of the blog.

Thanks for stopping by!
Marie with a :)

LOTSA Roxie...

I was asked to sell some of my cards at an upcoming flea market (less than 2 weeks away!) so I have been fervently trying to create some cards.  Here are (more than) a few showcasing the new Roxie Paper Pack:

 The exclusive CTMH Art Philosophy Cricut cartridge makes cutting out banner pieces in a variety of sizes sooooo easy!

This is another "fun fold" top folding card.  

 The CTMH cardstock papers now come with a "zip strip" at the top.  Here's one of the Roxie zip strips: You are my inspiration.

 Letters and flowers cut using the Art Philosophy

 I love the corduroy brads!

 I also love the pewter designer brads :)

 There's so much versatility with this paper...from soft and subtle to "wild" :)

 (inside of card)

I think I've done enough Roxie cards...but then I found these perfectly coordinating red envelopes in one of my envelop drawers tonight so who knows? Maybe I'll be back with more...

Thanks for stopping by,

Marie with a :)