Hopscotch Happy!

I've been playing with the Hopscotch Paper Packet! I love that our paper and cardstock are available in gorgeous colour co-ordinated packs that makes designing pages, cards and other paper crafting projects just so quick and easy.  

Here are some simple designs I've been playing with:

    

The Hopscotch Paper Packet is featured in the Close To My Heart Seasonal Expression 1 Idea Book which will be current until 31st March 2015.  

Have you been having fun with Hopscotch lately?  For more Hopscotch inspiration and ideas, visit my Facebook page.

Crafty wishes,
Denise :)

Australasian Operation Smile Blog Hop

Hello and welcome aboard our Australasian Operation Smile Blog Hop.  Today, we will be sharing ideas using the 'You're the Bomb' C sized stamp set which is featured on the back page of our Seasonal Expressions 1 Idea Book.  For each 'You're the Bomb' stamp set sold until 31st March 2015 Close To My Heart will donate $3USD directly to Operation Smile.

Close To My Heart is partnered with Operation Smile, an organization that provides free, life-changing surgery that repairs smiles and reshapes lives, one child at a time. Since 2008, Close To My Heart has provided support to change the lives of over 1,500 children and their families. Your business with Close To My Heart makes a big difference in the life of a child.

If you have arrived here from Doris' Creative Inspirations, then you are in the right place. If you landed here by accident, no problem, please join in by following the link at the end of this post. 

Here is my project featuring the 'You're the Bomb' stamp set. To say I am in love with this page layout is a huge understatement! This is the additional double-page layout from the Hopscotch Workshops on the Go Scrapbooking Kit created from the 'Mystify' Pattern in the Magic Idea Book.  

My crafting buddy, Perrin actually put this page layout together.  He is such a clever crafter and he just loves the WotG Kits although he always loves to change things up a bit.  While Perrin was working on this layout, I couldn't resist digging out some super cute photos of Darren and the boys taken back in 2001.  Yes, it was a little trip down Memory Lane for me, back to when Boyd was 5 years old and Perrin was only 18 months old! Oh my, how time flies!  And don't they look absolutely adorable on this page layout?

I couldn't help thinking how the sentiments included in the 'You're the Bomb' stamp set described exactly what I think about my beautiful boys and that they would be perfect to complete this layout!  

I stamped five of the sentiments from the stamp set in colours featured within the Hopscotch Paper Packet- Glacier, Flaxen, Smoothie, Indian Corn Blue and Sunset on Colonial White Cardstock, dove-tailed each one and then mounted them on Cardstock of the same colour.  I added the "YOU'RE" sentiment in Smoothie (cut with the 1" Circle Punch) using Thin 3-D Foam Tape and ta-da, the page was perfect (just like my boys)!!

Ingredients used in this layout include:

Hopscotch Workshops on the Go Scrapbooking Kit

Glacier Exclusive Inks Stamp Pad

Flaxen Exclusive Inks Stamp Pad

Smoothie Exclusive Inks Stamp Pad

Sunset Exclusive Inks Stamp Pad

Indian Corn Blue Exclusive Inks Stamp Pad

Slate Exclusive Inks Stamp Pad

Thin 3-D Foam Tape

The “You’re the Bomb” stamp set is available from your CTMH Independent Consultant and $3USD from every purchase of this stamp set made until 31st March 2015 will go directly to Operation Smile. You can also choose to make a donation of any size directly to your Consultant.  Donations over $2 are tax deductible.  Please visit the Operation Smile Webpage to discover more about the amazing work done by Operation Smile. 

Don't forget to keep hopping to the next stop on our Australasian Operation Smile Blog Hop, Shaunna's Blog, Passionate About Pages to see more creative ways to use the Operation Smile stamp set, 'You're the Bomb'.

Until next time.

Warmest crafting wishes,

Denise :) 

This Moment- CTMH January Stamp of the Month Australasian Blog Hop

Hello and welcome aboard our CTMH January 2015 Stamp of the Month Australasian Blog Hop. If you have arrived here from Mandy's Hall of Indulgence, then you are in the right place. If you landed here by accident, no problem, please join in by following the link at the end of this post. 

Today I would like to share with you a special little project which features the January Stamp of the Month 'This Moment' which is available exclusively throughout January 2015 for $27, or for just $5 when you spend $75. This stamp set is the latest of 12 glorious, exclusive Stamp of the Month stamp sets featured in our CTMH 2014- 2015 Annual Inspirations Idea Book!

It's school holidays for me at the moment so I have been spending as many hours in The Crafty Shed as possible.  My little crafting buddy, Perrin and I have been busy creating pages, cards and other special paper crafting projects.  This means that we also have lots of leftover scraps of paper from these projects.  These leftovers always cause me some degree of anxiety!  I don't want a whole lot of off-cuts laying around taking up space, but I also don't want to throw them away.  Needless to say, I am always on the look out for simple projects that are perfect for using up paper scraps (remember my obsession with the Herringbone card design? I know you do!)

I first fell in love with this cute card idea when I saw it featured in the Lollydoodle Workshops on the Go Cardmaking Kit and I must admit that it is one of my go-to projects when I want to use up my paper scraps and also create a quick, easy card.  This card really does tick all the boxes!

I also wanted to create a card with the January Stamp of the Month, This Moment that wasn't all lovey-dovey.  Don't get me wrong, I love smoochy cards, but I already have a Valentine's Day card made for my husband (don't tell him), and I don't need another one right now, so I wanted to create something fun and move away from a "love theme".

The "Hello" sentiment is perfect on a card for a friend you haven't seen in a while.  You know that friend you've been meaning to call, write, text or email for a while and haven't got around to calling, writing, texting or emailing.  Write your message inside and pop it in the mail to remind that person that you are thinking of them.  Maybe you can use the opportunity to suggest a catch-up like dinner or the movies!  You could also use this card as a fun birthday card or another fun occasion.

Right now I am completely in love with our Hopscotch products from our new Seasonal Expressions 1 Idea Book.  Perrin and I have been having so much fun with the Hopscotch Workshops on the Go Scrapbooking Kit and needless to say we have some paper scraps left over after finishing the two gorgeous double-page spreads in this kit.  So I fished some of the scrappiest scraps from the bottom of the bag and set to work.  If you'd also like to create this card, here's how you make it.

"Hopscotch Hello" Greeting Card

Ingredients:
January Stamp of the Month, 'This Moment'
Hopscotch paper scraps (three different colours/ patterns- I've used both sides of one of the B&T Duos and some of the leftover Glacier Cardstock to create the squares
Colonial White card and envelope (Value Pack)
3 1/4" x 1" Colonial White Cardstock
3 5/8" x 1 1/4" Smoothie Cardstock
Smoothie Exclusive Inks Stamp Pad
Sequins- Gold Assortment
3L E-Z Dots Adhesive
3-D Foam Tape

Instructions:

1. You need four 1 1/4" x 1 1/4" squares cut from each of the three papers/cardstock you choose to use.  That means you will need 12 squares altogether.  I cut the squares using my SureCut Deluxe Craft Paper Trimmer because I wanted the squares to be cut to the exact size as any variations will result in an uneven alignment of the squares and ruin the look of the finished pattern. 
2. You can arrange the squares any way you like, but I have stuck to the original pattern in the Loolydoodle WoTG Cardmaking Guide.
3. Leave a 1/4" border all the way around the outside.  I use my Versamat to line the squares up precisely and always arrange them on the card first to make sure I'm happy with the alignment before sticking them down.
4. Stick the squares down with an adhesive of your choice.  I have used 3L E-Z Dots Adhesive cause it's so quick and easy to use and allows me to pull up and reposition squares if I need to (really that hardly EVER happens- LOL!)
5. Stamp the "Hello" sentiment in Smoothie ink onto the Colonial White Cardstock.
6. Dovetail one end using your Non-Stick Micro-Tip Scissors.  
7. Stick it onto the Smoothie Cardstock and dovetail the end.
8. Adhere the sentiment to the card using 3-D Foam Tape.
9. Embellish with Gold Sequins.

I had so much fun making this card I decided to use up some of my Seaside and Heartstrings scraps to create another two versions of this card.  Lets face it, you could spend all day making these cute little cards and use up all of your scraps.  That would certainly be a crafty day well spent! :)

Well I hope you love this super-cute way to use up some of your paper scraps.  If you'd like to share your creations with me, please visit my Facebook page and post a picture of your cards.  I would LOVE to see them!   

Don't forget to keep hopping to the next stop on our Australasian Blog Hop, Shaunna's Blog, Passionate About Pages to see more creative ways to use the January Stamp of the Month.

Until next time.

Warmest crafting wishes,
Denise :)