January 2011 Stamp of the Month Blog Hop

Happy New Year to Everyone and welcome to our January Stamp of the Month Blog Hop! We are featuring January's Stamp of the Month, D1452 Find Your Style, a set of 9 beautiful stamps giving you style and beauty for all your projects!  Plus you will not believe what Inspirations (the new mini catalog with a preview of the Spring/Summer Idea Book that you can download by clicking on the picture in the upper right of the page) has to offer this month!  Huge discounts and 5 different stamps set when you purchase the Wings Workshop on the Go!  WOW!~

If you have come here from Helen Onulak's Blog, you are on the right path!  You can find a list of all the partipant's in case you get lost here: http://bowlofstamps.blogspot.com/p/sotm-blog-hop-list.html

This month we have nearly 60 Close To My Heart Consultants sharing their creations using this month's SOTM and other great CTMH products on their blogs. This is simple to do - just click on the link at the end of the post on each blog to move to the next one! Here we go!

Now "Hop" on over to Tonya Whitehurst's Blog to see her beautiful clear card eye candy! Be sure to visit all the Consultants at their Blogs to get some great crafting ideas and other fun ideas! Remember, the SOTM and Inspirations Mini Book is only available until January 31st!  Contact your CTMH Consultant (or click here) to see how you can get this stamp set at a discount or even free!

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Below is one of the ways I decided to use this stamp set:

Supplies:  Find Your Style Stamp Set; Wings Level II Paper Pack, Black and Vineyard Berry Exclusive Inks, Black Mini Medleys; White Mini Medleys.  Layout is from ORIGINALS Lucky Three

I decided to try one of those cool folded flowers.  They look neat but will they travel through the mail?  Well, maybe in a padded envelope.  :-)  Here are the "general" instructions for fan-fold/yo-yo flowers CLICK TO ENLARGE:

I also thought you might enjoy a slide show of our monthly exchange which you can find here.  Now have fun along the way!!

MojoMonday 171

Oh my gosh I just LOVE these sketches and knew what I must do before the day was out!  I also just had to use the new Wings papers with the January 2011 Stamp of the Month (D1452 Find Your Style).  All of these will be available January 1st!

Supplies:  Wings Level 2 Paper Packet; Vineyard Berry, Juniper, Sweet Leaf & Black CSs and inks; Pleated Twill Tape; Black Mini Medley Collection (Courdoroy brad); Find Your Style Stamp Set.

And, in case you were wondering here is the MojoMonday 171 sketch:

Fun sketches, aren't they!

Winter Solstice Lunar Eclipse

Did any of you stay up or wake up last night to see the Winter Solstice Lunar Eclipse? Do you realize that the last time this event happened it was 1378? Anyway, I wasn't up and I didn't get to take any photos because I was thinking it was tonight instead of last night, but here a double exposure picture shows the moon and the monument of The Savior of The World during the total lunar eclipse as seen from San Salvador.

I hope you are enjoying your Christmas season.  I really have done quite a few pieces of artwork and promise to get some loaded soon.  Are the holidays as crazy for you as they are for me?

December Stamp of the Month Blog Hop!

Welcome to our December Stamp of the Month Blog Hop! We are featuring December's SOTM, D1445 Amore, a set of 13 beautiful stamps giving you unlimited ways to profess your love!

If you have come here from Wendy Fording's Blog, you are on the right path!  I am the first stop for this month's hop! You can find a list of all the partipant's in case you get lost here: http://bowlofstamps.blogspot.com/p/sotm-blog-hop-list.html
This month we have over 60 Close To My Heart Consultants sharing their creations using this month's SOTM and other great CTMH products on their blogs. This is simple to do - just click on the link at the end of the post on each blog to move to the next one! Here we go!

Now "Hop" on over to Helen Onulak's Blog to see her beautiful holiday eye candy! Be sure to visit all the Consultants at their Blogs to get some great crafting ideas and other fun ideas! Remember, the SOTM is only available until December 31st!  Contact your CTMH Consultant (or click here) to see how you can get this stamp set at a discount or even free!

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My first item is a mini pizza box with envelope:  This was I did for my monthly stamp exchange item.  Below are various pictures of box and envelope that fits in box.  The first picture is the box closed:

Looking inside the box at the little envelope:

The inside of the box is lined and here's the little envelope's back side closed by waxy flax and brads.

Box and front of envelope.....

Box is opened and the Envelope is opened.

Here is another project I have made using this Stamp of the Month.  It is an Acrylic Clear Card that will be an Anniversary card for my Son and Daughter-in-law. This is my first Acrylic clear Card ever and I love how this looks in real-life.  I used the Mojo Monday #167 sketch for this past Monday which is just below.

The picture below shows the Acrylic



Next photo is the inside of the card:

Finally here is the Mojo Monday sketch that I used.  It was the Square one:

Now have fun along the way!!

November Stamp of the Month Blog Hop

Can you believe it is November and time for the Stamp of the Month (SOTM) Blog Hop!  Whoo hooo!  The November SOTM, D1444 A Little Thanks is a set of 16 images and is just perfect for writing all those Christmas thank you cards!

If you have come here from Helen Onulak's blog, you are on the right path! You can find a list of all the partipant's in case you get lost here: http://bowlofstamps.blogspot.com/p/sotm-blog-hop-list.html

This month we have over 60 Close To My Heart Consultants sharing their creations using this month's SOTM and other great CTMH products on their blogs. This is simple to do - just click on the link at the end of the post on each blog to move to the next one! Here we go!  This month I decided to do a "wiper" card that goes "swish" when you open it (like a wiper).  Here is the card as you would get it in the envelope:

Supplies:  A Littl Thanks and Captured Moments Stamp Sets; Black CS, Colonial White CS; Honey CS with Cuttlebug Pumpkin Embossing Folder; Black Ink, Red Barn Ink, Kaleidacolor Autumn Leaves Rainbow Pad (retired); Orange Peel Stickles; Mini black brads; Sizzix Top Note Die; SU border punch.

Then when you pull out the ends, the wiper pops up:

Here is a close-up of the wiper part:

Be sure to check out my November Stamp of the Month card swap slide show here:  http://bowlofstamps.blogspot.com/p/slide-shows-sotm.html

Now "Hop" on over to Kristie Herdener's Blog to see her beautiful eye candy! Be sure to visit all the Consultants at their Blogs to get some great crafting ideas and other fun ideas! Remember, the SOTM is only available until November 30th!  Contact your CTMH Consultant (or click here) to see how you can get this stamp set at a discount or even free! 

Wiper Card Tutorial

1.  Cut 2 pieces CS (for base) 4-1/4" x 8-1/2".  Score each piece at 1-1/2" and 3" as shown below.  The 3" fold is a mountain fold, while the other is a valley fold.  HINT:  Click for larger view.  Also make sure all folds are creased with Bone Folder for sharp folds.

2.  Cut one 1 1/2" x 3" piece of cardstock, for the "wiper".  Mark it at 1-1/2" on the 3" side.  Score from the top right corner to the 1 1/2" mark.

3.  Turn your strip around to decorate.  Then add strong adhesive to the triangle part of the 3" x 1-1/2" (which is the bottom part of the strip).

4.  Take one of your card base pieces and lay it down with the score lines to the right. This will be your card front which will be decorated later.  Adhere your strip, image facing down, between the two score lines. 

5.  Put adhesive on the 4-1/4" side of both pieces (on the  inside) of your cardstock. 

6.  Place your second 4 1/4" x 8 1/2" piece of cardstock over your card front. (Inside of the card is facing you and decorated side of card will face away from you).  Make sure the score lines are on the left. HINT:  The scored edges of the front piece are to the left while the scored edges of the back piece are to the right. 

7.  Decorate the front panel and your wiper card is done.  It really is much easier than it sounds. 

Fun time with friends

I have probably told you before about one of my very dear friends who happens to be an SU consultant.  She is mega talented when it comes to cards even more so than a lot of the popular bloggers that you see on the net.  However, she thinks of herself as techno challenged and is totally uninterested in blogging.  Anyway, from her party (I love SU punches and Sizzix stuff) we did these two cards--sorry I can't tell you much more about the colors--I just don't know them as well as CTMH colors, but these cards did turn out gorgeous!  The first one is a swiper card.  I will have a tutorial here in a couple of days so stay tuned.  Here is the card as you would get it in the envelope.

All petals are made from Christmas bulb punch.

Here is the swiper card opened:

Then we did a second card.  This one did not get sprayed with the schmooch (sp?).  The color combo was so interesting to me because they aren't colors I would have chosen to go together.

Don't you just love the textured embossing folders?????  Anyway, here is the inside of the card.  Yes, my friend Marlene leaves no paper unstamped!  :-)

That is so cool!!  Finally, since I have this nice big basement all set up as a workshop/classroom studio, I hold the "mystery hostess" party and here is what Marlene made for hosting.  Note the partyly eaten candies that my granddaughter's think I haven't noticed:

Now, I bet you are wondering what the little Lion is so upset about (below).  Is it because he can't find his "courage"?   Actually no.  This was his first try at a costume that turned out to be too small--especially for his head and he was MAD!   This is my grandson, Xander, the Lion:

Okay, warming up to the suit now:

Here's wishing you a creative day!  Blessings!

Officer Michael Roberts - You Are My HERO!

Officer Michael Roberts, you are my HERO!!  You are true patriot and American Hero!!  Here is his story.

ExpressJet Airlines first Officer Michael Roberts, a Tennessee pilot, on October 15th was chosen for the X-ray scan at Memphis International Airport.  The Houston-based pilot says he also refused a pat-down and went home.  This Tennessee pilot says he's tired of being manhandled by security agents and is currently waiting to see if he will lose his job because he refused a full body scan.

Most of these TSA agents in any other facet of life would rarely be able to pass a regular background check to secure any other position.  Yet they are allowed to view (and make fun of) naked body scans (that are saved and kept contrary to popular belief) and they are allowed to conduct pat-down.  Do you really want those slime bags touching you in a pat-down?

Congratulation Office Roberts on standing up and saying NO to the manhandling!  When it comes to keeping your Freedoms or losing rights because "they" say they will protect you, I will choose FREEDOM every time!!

Ben Franklin Quote:  "Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."  Historial Review of Pennsylvania, 1759.

Mojo Monday 160 and the November Stamp of the Month

Oh my gosh I just loved the Mojo Monday 160 sketch and decided that this was perfect for the November Stamp of the Month called "A Little Thanks".  This is a super set that can say thank you in so many ways!  Anyway here is the sketch:

Using the Olivia paper which I have been dying to break into since the Idea Book came out, here is what I did with that sketch (but I reserve the right to change or update it).  Oh well....

Supplies:  D1444-A Little Thanks SS; Olivia Paper Pack; NE Ivy, Barn Red CS & Exclusive Inks (EI); NE Ivy Organza Ribbon; Cocoa Opaques (little pearls on barn red CS); Holiday Buttons Collection; Corner Rounder Punch.

Oh course you know there will be more to come on the November Stamp of the Month!  And I still haven't gotten to Halloween out of me yet.  :-)

Not Christmas Yet

I know the Stamp of the Month was all Christmas and everything and I love it, but I'm still in a Halloween mode!

I had to use the coffin we made to deck out my office.  These are a few of the decorations in my office.  Our local Ben Franklin's (like Hobby Lobby or Michaels) had some very interesting Halloween decorations!  Even my granddaughters are in the Halloween (scary) mode--both of them being silly:

Besides, I still have some Halloween creativity left in me.  I wanted to make some of the Hooligans WOTG (workshop on the go) cards and use the TroubleMaker set.  The one I choose was cute but the card base was white.  I ask you, how Halloween is that?  Well, I love black base cards any time of year but especially at Halloween so this is what I turned it into:

Recipe:  TroubleMaker stamp set; Hooligans Paper Pack; Sunset embelishment pack; Gypsy, Lagoon, Pear and Black inks; black  and white daisy CS; prisma glitter.

Well according to my Halloween Countdown there are 22 days, 15 hours and 31 minutes till Halloween!  What will you turn into this year?????