Summer Paradise

Designed to Delight image for this week's image challenge is Tropical Summer. Two years ago Close To My Heart had a marvelous Hawaii themed paper collection that I loved and used to create an album and a memory box for my son and daughter-in-law's honeymoon photos. Just a few treasured scraps remain, and I thought of them immediately when I saw the D2D image. I colored with Prisma pencils - which I am still learning to use. Wish the weather outside my window were a bit more summery...but it is perfect weather for staying in my craft room!

Birthday Balloons

Someone recently posted a darling card - I wrote down who it was but can't find my paper! Most likely it was Brenda, but I looked through her recent posts and didn't locate it. Perhaps it is an older post that stuck in my memory. Even if it was not her blog, I guarantee you will find all kinds of inspiration and instruction for creations at her blog here.

Anyhow, I thought of the cute pop-up balloons and it went perfectly with this Designed 2 Delight digital image. The card base is 51/2 X 10 1/2 ...scored four times in the center (3/4") to create the slot for the balloon 'strings' which I made by cutting 1/4" strips from a produce container. I used punches for the balloons and glued them together with the strip of acetate in the center.

Thank you to the creative person who inspired this design!

Fanfare - CTMH makes it so easy!

There are so many wonderful things about being part of the Close To My Heart family. One is actually that I can sincerely use the word family. The consultants are creative and they share all their techniques and creations, they challenge and support. Then there is the product- best stamps, paper and accessory collections...and one of the best developments has been the Workshop On The Go Packages. You get a full Reflections paper collection ( 10 12X12 pieces of two-sided designer papers and coordinating solid card stock), an Acrylix stamp set, accessories (they vary by workshop, but can include buttons, ribbon, tools, brads, chip board dimensionals), and Instructions to make either scrapbook layouts or cards. Instructions include cutting guides and step-by-step directions. All this for $29.95! No searching around for the stamps or papers that coordinate, not fussing with what size to cut the papers... Just great directions, quick beautiful cards. And plenty left over to get creative on your own.

There is a workshop package available for each of the paper collections. To see the sets just go here.

These are cards we made at my monthly workshop using Fanfare - I pretty much followed the card directions in the workshop handout. One kit can make dozens of cards. I'm making some invitations and favors for a July birthday celebration now and still have only added some extra card stock for card bases.

Fancy Pin

StampinUp! had this box of pins and pearls....I've had it for a while and have used a few...but for this card I stacked some long retired CTMH beads along with the SU! pearls and added a flower make of Baby Pink card stock and some light beige prima flowers from my stash. The card stocks used are CTMH Colonial White and Chocolate. The background embossing was with an Impressability and edged with a Martha Stewart border punch. This will be a wedding card (with the addition of a "Love" stamp in the bottom right corner), and also a birthday card for my daughter-in-law (will add sentiment inside for that use).

Fresh Cut Flowers

Designed 2 Delight has a lovely digi image and accompanying sentiment this week. I colored with Close To My Heart inks and the waterbrush. The vase was covered with Liquid Glass which looks very cool in person, but doesn't show on this photo. The designed paper is CTMH Miracle collection.
First day of summer AND the sun is shining. I really should be outside!

Birthday Sweets

Anyone else out there who is a ribbon collector? hoarder? Nothing can make my day like digging through the craft shop $1 ribbon bin! The ribbon for this little bow was a recent find, and I tied it up with a brown flower button from CTMH. Love my new cupcake stamp from Close to My Heart Fanfare kit. I used Baby pink and Chocolate card stocks and inks. The sketch is this week's Clean & Simple. After I took the picture, I added a bright pink sparkle to the top of the frosting.

Bliss

It has been quite a week! Lots of celebrations with no time available for crafting. My husband had a big birthday, and I spirited him away for last weekend. After 2 1/2 marvelous days, I came back to senior awards, two end-of-year banquets, and graduation. My beloved seniors are on their way! I had the honor of reading names at the ceremony.
So I am back - briefly. In a few weeks I will travel to Japan to visit with my oldest son for a month! He has lived and worked in Iwaki City, Fukushima for two years, and has planned lots of travel adventures for us. Until then I will craft, garden, clean out the basement and attic, and attempt to institute an exercise regimen. Ah...for a teacher summer break plans are very much like New Year's resolutions!!

My card today is soft and tranquil. The sketch is from Card Patterns. The paper is from Close to My Heart Bliss collection. The card stocks used are Grey Flannel and Colonial White. The center circle was punched with CTMH 2" scallop and inked with Universal Backgrounds (D1477) stamp in Grey Flannel, and various sentiments in Black. A licorice opaque tops the butterfly from Just Blooms (CTMH Z1266).