This is something I've wanted to try for some time -- white on white.  How can you make something that's all the same colour have depth and texture and look beautiful?  The answer is layers.


I used White Daisy paper for all of these layers.  I dry embossed the layer with the polka dots, using my Cuttlebug (which I don't use NEARLY as often as I should -- it's so fun!!).  And I heat embossed the snowflake from the "Perfect Fit - Holiday" stamp set with white pigment ink and white embossing powder.  The circle layers added more depth, and the added touch of the white ribbon just added some sparkle.

This was so much fun -- I'll be doing this challenge again and again!

We're starting our second week of {CTMH} Holiday cards and the challenges are getting harder.  What can you do with triangles?  The obvious answer is: make Christmas trees ... but I wanted to do something different.  When I think of triangles I think of pennants and banners, and it makes me think of sailing and all things nautical.  I have always had a passion for lighthouses and the sea, so this card is really close to my heart (no pun intended!).


I really like how this card turned out -- it has lots of colour and energy and fun.  It's very different than some of the other holiday cards I've made lately and it really makes me smile.  This card will be saved for someone really special.

It used to be, when you wanted to put some glitter on your card, you had to get out the Prisma Glitter, glue, craft tray, extra paper and so on.  Don't get me wrong, I love my Prisma Glitter, but sometimes you need less muss and fuss.  That's where CTMH glitter paper comes in.  You can get it in a range of colours, you can cut it on the Cricut to create any shape, and you can glue it on to any paper.

Here is my card for today, featuring the almond colour glitter paper cut in the shape of snowflake.

My 8-year old son Charlie loves to make cards.  I love him and love sharing this activity with him.  He started by just putting paper, stamps and stickers together on a card.  But when he saw me using a card sketch from "Make it from Your Heart", one of CTMH's how-to books, he wanted to try.  He's gotten really good with his paper trimmer!

Following someone else's sketch didn't last long.  His creativity kicked into overdrive and he started creating his own sketches!!  And boy, did it make him proud to see Mom using HIS sketch to make cards.  So today, I chose to use one of his sketches in my 25 Day challenge.


I like nice, clean cards.  And with this stamp, "Illuminate", I especially wanted the image to stand out.  The dark background, the subtle stamped texture, the sponging and glitter all work together to make this stamp set ... and Charlie's sketch ... shine.

Here's Charlie's Sketch, if you want to give it a try:

My creative genius, hard at work!

Special thanks to my friend Brae for this amazing idea -- using Studio J, CTMH's online digital scrapbooking program, to create stunning photo cards to send to family and friends this holiday season.




These awesome cards were so easy and so fun to make.  I simply used the "No Limits" pattern template and 4x5.5" journaling and photo wells to customize and create.  I added stickers, brads, buttons and ribbon.  And of course, a photo of my beautiful family.  When the prints arrive, all I have to do is cut them and stuff them in standard sized envelopes with my family's annual Christmas letter.

And they are affordable.  Because of the size I chose to create, I got 12 cards for just $6.95 (plus shipping and taxes).  That works out to less than 60 cents a card!  Pretty good for something that looks this good!!

There are a few different ways one could approach this challenge.  I decided to create my own graphic using sentiments from all my different holiday stamps sets.  The different fonts and sizes really helped create an interesting piece of art.


I kept the rest of the design simple, to allow the sentiment collage to be the hero.  It looks complicated, but really isn't -- you just need a little patience, especially if you have stubby fingers like me  :)

First, I chose all of my sentiments and placed them on the square of cardstock I was using for the card.  The stamps were all "sticky side" UP (this is important -- keep reading!)  I moved things around and played until I got it just the way I liked it.


Then, I pressed my large 4x5 My Acrylix block onto the stamped images.  Because they were sticky side up, they stuck to the block beautifully without moving or shifting.


Last, I took each individual stamp off the block, placed it on a smaller block and stamped as usually.  Why didn't I just stamp it all at once?  Two reasons.  First, I wanted to pull out a key phrase and stamp it in a separate colour to make it pop.  And second, stamps from different sets might be different thicknesses.  If I had stamped it all at once, I may not have gotten nice, crisp images of the sentiments.

I love this card.  Especially because I'm a writer, I love turning words into art.

One of the greatest joys I have found through scrapbooking and cardmaking is the ability to give back, and to put a smile on someone's face with my artwork.  I have been a part of the Kards 4 Kids HSC (Hospital for Sick Children) Smiley team for several years now, and we make cards to donate to SickKids.  It just warms my heart to know that some sick child feels just a little bit better when they receive one of my cards.

Here are two cards that I will be donating this year.  Because we can't put embellishments like brads or buttons or ribbons on the cards (they are choking hazards), it's a great challenge to create beautiful but simple, clean cards for the kids.

We are always looking for donations to our card drives.  Our deadline this year is December 11.  If you would like to donate any cards, please contact me at justscrapit@sympatico.ca and I will give you instructions on how to get them to me.  THANK YOU in advance.

It's Day 2 and today, I'm featuring Close to my Heart's Sparkle & Shine papers.  This probably my FAVOURITE Christmas paper pack that we've had in the last few years.  I love the colours -- vibrant, but not overpowering -- the patterns and the silver metallic ink.  It all just works together so nicely.  I know I'm going to have to stock up on this paper pack before it's gone on December 31.

Here's my card for today:

Good morning and HAPPY DECEMBER 1ST!  Where has the time gone?  I hope your holiday shopping is going well and that you're even finding some time for yourself in all the busyness of the season.

Here's a good reason to take a quick break: my 25 Days of Holiday Cards!  Tune in each day for a new card, featuring some great products, fun techniques and cool creative.

Use this calendar to follow along and see what I'll be making this month.

DAY ONE: LIQUID APPLIQUE


Liquid applique is lots and lots of fun!  You simply apply it where you want something puffy, let it set (preferably overnight) and then puff it up with your heat gun.  I use it with Santa stamps all the time!


And Liquid Applique is on the 2014 Retiring List, so get some while you can!  (Just email me at justscrapit@sympatico.ca to place your order, or shop online!)

I also used a masking technique on this card, to create a background for Santa, all on one layer.  It's easy.  Simply stamp Santa first, then also stamp him on a post-it note.  Cut out and place the post-it note overtop of your stamped image.  Stamp the background.  Peel off the post-it and voila! 

Supplies Used:
Sparkle & Shine B&T paper
Lagoon and Ruby Cardstock
CTMH White Daisy card base
Santa Claus stamp set
Black Opaques pearls (also retiring!)
Red Shimmer Trim
Liquid Applique


Please leave a comment if you like what you see.  And come back tomorrow for some more Sparkle & Shine!

HO HO HO!  Welcome to The Brae-er's November Team Blog Hop. This month, we're focusing on "Holidays", especially since the festive season is just around the corner!

As you hop along to all the different blogs, you will see creations from our CTMH team showcasing stamp sets, patterned paper, inks, embellishments and more from the Close To My Heart Autumn Idea book and new mini Holiday Guide. Thanks in advance for taking the time to hop along.  Now, onto the creative stuff!

This is a circular hop.   If you came from Brae's "The Brae-er" blog, you're going in the right direction.  Just keep hopping along and see some amazing artwork.  Soon, you'll make it all the way around to each Brae-er's Team members blog.

My Project:  Slider Cards





When I was looking for different formats to use in my gift card holder workshop, I came across the Paper Garden Projects blog, featuring the instructions for a slider card.  It was so cute, and the instructions were so well written, I had to try it out.

Here is the card we made at my workshop.  It is very closely inspired by the original card in the instructions.  I added a pocket inside the slider to hold the gift card.


This card features the following products:

• Stamp Sets:  Polar Bear Holiday, Christmas Village
• Ink:  Slate, Twilight
• Frosted B&T Paper
• CTMH Cardstock:  Slate, Champagne and White Daisy
• Twilight marker
• Stardust glitter gel

With the second card, I got a bit more adventurous.




This card features the following products:

• Stamp Sets:  Santa Claus, Christmas Village
• Ink:  Slate, Black, Ruby, White Daisy
  
• CTMH Cardstock:  Kraft, Black, Ruby and White Daisy
• Grey copic markers
• Stardust and red glitter gel

Keep on Hopping!
Your next stop on the hop is "Crafty Corina's" blog. 

After looking at each person's stunning creations, please take a moment to leave a comment or two at the bottom.  We really love feedback from our blog viewers....whether it was something that you really liked or some new technique that was used that you would like to learn how to do.  By leaving us comments, we get to hear what you like, and what you want to see.


Thanks for hopping along with us - we hope we were able to inspire some festive feelings and give you some ideas to get creative using CTMH products.

• This is a circular hop so you can start here and go all the way around.
• If you came from rockin’ Rosalynd’s “In My Scrappin’ Room” blog, then you are going in the right direction!
• And if you want to follow us from coast to coast, then please start at the beginning with Michelle S.’s "My Creations with Michelle" blog.  The complete blog list is also found here if you get lost along the way.