April Stamp of the Month Blog Hop - BLESSED

Welcome to our Stamp of the Month Blog Hop! We will be featuring April's SOTM, which is Blessed, a set of 12 stamps. If you have come here from Kami's Blog, you are on the right path! The blog hop is a great big circle, so you can start here and work your way all around. If you get lost along the way, you’ll find the complete list of participating consultants here . This month we have 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...

I used the CTMH Level 2 Sweetheart paper pack to create this interactive slide card. You will notice that the Hollyhock bird has a black outline that was created using the 2-step outline stamping technique and was embossed using Black embossing powder.

After the slide has been pulled, the hidden flower bud was also created using the 2-step outline stamp, and the leaves were colored using the CTMH colored pencils.

Now "Hop" on over to Georgia's Blog to see her work!

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 April 30th! Contact your CTMH Consultant (or click here) to see how you can get this stamp set at a discount or even free!

Contrast Embossing - Technique Blog Hop

Welcome to this group’s first attempt at a Technique Blog Hop! This month there are 11 of us highlighting the “Contrast Embossing” Technique as shown on page 31 in the Spring/Summer 2011 Idea Book!

This blog hop is a great big circle so you can start wherever you want and continue through to see all the fabulous artwork incorporating this technique. If you would like to start from the beginning, please visit this link. While there you will also find a listing of all participants and their blog addresses if you should get lost or want to reference a blog along the way. Let’s get started!

If you are coming from Kelly's Blog, you are on the right track! You will find variations for this technique's use through this hop.

This 6x6 card was made using the Originals pattern "Background Bar" (pg 75). The larger heart was stamped at the "background" using Cotton Candy ink, and the smaller heart was stamped using Versamark and embossed with Baby Pink powder. This element was then cut out, leaving a small border of white, and then "popped" with foam tape to the center of the Tulip cardstock mat.

If you would like to see details on the technique or my supply list, please continue reading below. If not, please continue onto Heather's Blog where you will find some additional artwork highlighting this technique!

Be sure to leave a comment and let me know what you thought of my variation and happy hopping!

Supply List:

Sweetheart MyReflections Level 2 Paper Pack (X7134B)

Black Bigger Brads (Metal Assortment Z1366)

Black Ribbon (Black Mini Medley Z1393)

Black Ink (Z2105)

Pink Assortment Buttons (Z1370)

Cotton Candy Ink (Z2193)

Versamark Ink (Z891)

Craft Heater (Z555)

Baby Pink Embossing Powder (Z648)

3-D Foam Tape (Z1151)

Love Language Stamp Set (D1343)

The steps to Contrast Embossing are:

1. Stamp background image on project.
2. Stamp additional images in Versamark ink. Sprinkle with contrasting color of embossing powder.
3. Tap off excess powder. Set with craft heater.

Here you can see a visual demonstration of this technique.

Thanks for stopping by! Continue onto Heather's Blog to continue the hop!

Creative Corner - Easter Banner

Happy Spring!

I love sitting as I work with my doors and windows open. The breeze is refreshing and I love to hear the sounds of birds chirping and singing. I feel inspired!

Lately, I have been hooked on the Sophia paper and also the MyCreations banner from CTMH. Hope you enjoy this new one I adapted from the Wings Workshop-on-the-Go. I added a couple of additions and created 3 special paper flowers. (Thanks to my good friends Debi and Fran for teaching a flower workshop at a team meeting...I am finally getting around to making some!)

Take a look and let me know what you think...more importantly...ENJOY a fresh new start - Spring is in the air!

Join me at Stamp Class this month, and create one of these ADORABLE banners.