12 Days of Christmas Creations ~ Gifts of Warm Cocoa with a Double Trouble Challenge

As we continue with 12 Days of Christmas Creations, I wanted to inspire you to give some sweet treats of Warm Cocoa (with sprinkles) to your neighbors, co-workers, friends,  and family this holiday season.  This adorable little box can be filled with your favorite cocoa (or coffee), some marshmallows (or coffee beans), and a chocolate spoon (with sprinkles).

I found inspiration from a few other similar projects on Pinterest, and I decided to give it my own twist. I enjoyed it so much that I decided to enter it into the weekly Double Trouble Challenge where we were asked to make a sweet treat for the Fall/Winter holidays using a mood board to motivate our mojo and it needed to include sprinkles on top.

The box was created with my Explore Air 2 in Cricut Design Space™ using a Rectangle shape, Score Lines, and Cut Lines. Later this week, I will be showing a short video in my VIP Facebook Group demonstrating how to create your own box.

 

Once the box was assembled, I decorated it with ‘Tis the Season paper, a cute Sentiment stamped in Charcoal on cardstock circles cut from our Thin Cuts metal dies, and a stamped Poinsettia. To create the layered Poinsettia, I stamped the two images (one with New England Ivy, one with Candy Apple), cut them out and layered them using a Foam Dot. It’s hard to see, but there is a little sparkle on that Poinsettia.

 

The little bag of marshmallows was even more fun to create.  I used our Fancy Tags Thin Cuts metal dies to cut out the topper, decorated it with a stamped snowflake image and Thin Cut circles, and added a little New England Ivy Ribbon that I divided into individual threads.

This little gift of Warm Cocoa (or coffee) is simple to create and would make a great gift to give. (Especially when you need a few last minute gifts).  Each of the supplies I used can be purchased from my website. I am blessed by each one of you who take the time to shop my website and support my home business.

Make sure to come back tomorrow for my next 12 Days of Christmas Creation. I can’t wait to see what you create! 

This post does contain affiliate links. By clicking on these links, and placing an order, a small portion of the sales helps to support my family and home business.  Thank you for your contribution. ❤ 

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Color My Heart Dare Tic-Tac-Toe: Grateful Heart Thank You Card

This week, for the Color My Heart Dare challenge, we are playing with colors from our Grateful Heart collection.  You can choose to use any colors in a row, column, diagonally, or use every color available and create something amazing!

 

For this week’s challenge, I chose to use Sapphire, Mink, and Pomegranate to create a Thank You card with a little Copper flair. I enjoy using our Complements as accents on my cards, and the Thank You sentiment, Mink Flower, and Wooden Arrow “complemented” this card well.

Since the sentiment was written with Copper, I wanted to repeat this color on the card. Our Grateful Heart Cardmaking Stamp Set has some very nice images including these leaves which I stamped in VersaMark Ink and heat embossed with our Copper Tinsel Embossing Powder.

 

That same “color” is repeated in the Cork Shapes. By repeating the color in the sentiment, leaves, and Cork Shapes, I was able to give this card a balanced look. I also used this stamp set to create the Mink wood grain.

I felt like the Mink Cardstock alone did not serve this card well, and by adding the wood grain, it added an extra layer to the design. I will be honest in telling you that this card was not one of my favorites when I first created it, but once finished, the overall look and layers of elements makes the creative troll in my brain do back flips.

I hope you take the time this month to join me in this Color My Heart Dare Challenge.  I always enjoy visiting each of the projects and commenting on the creative designs.  Remember, you don’t have to have a blog to participate, just a willingness to try something new.

I can’t wait to see what you create!

 

 

Christmas Blessings Special

My daughter tells me that “You can never get enough Christmas!” If it were her choice, we would have Christmas all year long and every gift would be a puppy.  If you are one who is already prepping for Christmas (or thinking that you really should) you will be as excited as I am about this amazing Christmas Blessings Bundle.

For a limited time, we are offering this discounted workshop bundle with an exclusive stamp set that gives you materials to create TWELVE cards, four each of three designs, using the rich, festive colors of Eggplant, Peacock, Sage, and Sugarplum. Silver glitter paper and gems and ♥silver embellishing thread♥ provide the perfect shimmery additions to these cards.

I recommend that you take take advantage of the Christmas Blessing workshop kit at 25% off the retail price! There is an easy-to-follow guide on my website that is available free for you to download so that you can create these all of these spectacular cards.

As an avid Nativity collector, I am ♥LOVING♥ this Christmas Blessings stamp set which you can purchase separately to create some of your own personalized Christmas projects. Wouldn’t these make some amazing scrapbook page titles?!

Many of you may have noticed that one of the cards does require the use of our Season of Joy Cricut™ Collection. Those of you who are Cricut™ users, will adore this new collection full of three-dimensional projects, beautifully designed cards, and delightful titles and icons.

If you are not a Cricut™ user ….well you need to just call me and we need to talk (just kidding)… you can easy exchange that one cut for another stamped image or use one of our new Holiday Thin Cuts in it’s place.

 

I can’t wait until my order arrives and I can get a head start on some of my Christmas projects.  This Christmas Blessings Bundle and Stamp Set are only available October 15–December 31 while supplies last on my website. ‘Tis the season for things to sell quickly and I would hate for you to miss out on this amazing special. I can’t wait to see what you create!

Masculine Color Dare Card

Have you ever had one of those days where no matter how much you try to get something to work, it refuses to cooperate and becomes the bane of your existence?! Well, that is exactly how I felt when I was trying to create a card for this week’s Color My Heart Dare Challenge.

This week’s theme is a Twisted Tic-Tac-Toe and normally, I would have tossed out the card, cried a little, maybe curled in a ball in the corner, ate a little chocolate, then returned to the drawing board. In all honesty though, I really wanted you to see that sometimes the cards I create don’t exactly turn out how I envisioned them.

After much angst over this design, I am still in a debate with myself over which is the better card. I do like the look of the Nutmeg Argyle pattern on the Pacifica background, and the overall structure of the card isn’t horrible, but I am still torn as to which card has a better overall look.

 

I would love to hear what you think.  We have until September 20th to enter our creations into this week’s challenge and HOPEFULLY by then I will have decided which one I prefer.  I would love to see your creations entered into this week’s challenge and can’t wait to see what you create!

Dreams Stamp Set	12″ x 12″ Pacifica Cardstock	12″ x 12″ Nutmeg Cardstock	12″ x 12″ Flaxen Cardstock	12″ x 12″ Crystal Blue Cardstock
Decorative Borders Thin Cuts	White Burlap Ribbon	12″ x 12″ White Daisy Cardstock	Fern Stitched Ribbon	Gold Glitter Gems
Basic Circle Thin Cuts	Nutmeg Exclusive Inks	My Acrylix Block Starter Set	Pacifica Exclusive Inks	Stitched Circle Thin Cuts
Thin 3D Foam Dots	Tombow Adhesive	Paper Trimmer	Micro-Tip Scissors	3D Foam Tape

 

 

 

Holiday Expressions Blog Hop

Welcome to the Holiday Expressions Blog Hop where we will be featuring products from our New Holiday Expressions catalog which chock-full of spectacular papers, exclusive stamp sets, workshop kits, new tools, and organizers.  If you have come here from Kimberly Bower’s blog, you are on the right path! When you are finished reading my post, you can click on the link at the end to move to the next blog.  If you get lost along the way, you’ll find the complete list of participating consultants on Melinda’s Blog.

I really hope that you have taken some time to peruse the new Holiday Expressions. If you haven’t, then something must be wrong with you because you are missing out on all the amazing new products that Close to My Heart has created this season. 😉 Two of my favorites are the New Boutique products and the Fancy Tags Thin Cuts which I used to create this Insta-Album.

 

This album was designed to display an array of photos taken from an Insta-camera (those little tiny Polaroids). By using the Fancy Tag Thin Cuts on a variety of papers from the Boutique collection, I was able to create a fun little album for recording those memorable moments.

 

This little Insta-album could be created from any paper pack. Wouldn’t it be adorable using our new OH! What Fun products? A perfect way to record some winter memories.

 

You can continue through the blog hop and see more ideas from a few other Close To My Heart Consultants sharing their creations using products from our New Holiday Expressions catalog.

Now ‘Hop” on over to Katy Taylor’s blog to see her work! Be sure to visit all the Consultants at their blogs to get some great crafting tips and other fun ideas. Remember, you receive a FREE Holiday Expressions catalog with your first September order. Contact your CTMH Consultant, or visit the WHAT’S NEW section of my website to see all of the products available in this delightful catalog.  I can’t wait to see what you create!

Color Dare Create Card

Hello, my friends! As you know, I truly enjoy the weekly challenges from the Color My Heart Dare blog and this week we were challenged to a Tic-Tac-Toe where we were to choose three colors in a row/diagonal from this color palette.

 

 

 

I chose to use Peacock, Eggplant, and Saffron for my card since this choice of colors felt like it would go together really well and had a nice warm autumn feel. At first, designing the card was quite the challenge.  I knew my color palette and I knew that I wanted to use the Dreams stamp set, but I was baffled at how to put it all together.  I am not sure if I was suffering from lack of sleep or too little coffee, which is why I am so grateful that Close to My Heart has created some amazing idea books that we can look through and be inspired by.

 

 

 

I so surprised how cute this card turned out!  I love all the textures from the Decorative Borders Thin Cuts and how that white argyle stamp just pops on the Eggplant cardstock. I even added a little Gold Shimmer behind the sentiment just for a little ✨bling✨.

I would love for you to join in this week’s Color My Heart dare challenge.  You don’t even have to have a blog to join, just simply upload your photo onto their Facebook page and they will add you to the challenge.  They are fun to join and really help push your creative brain to new challenges. I can’t wait to see what you create!

Dreams Stamp Set	12″ x 12″ Eggplant Cardstock	12″ x 12″ Peacock Cardstock	12″ x 12″ Saffron Cardstock	12″ x 12″ White Daisy Cardstock
Decorative Borders Thin Cuts	White & Gold Skinny Ribbon	Watercolor Pencils	Gold Glitter Gems	Small Round Watercolor Brush
Basic Circle Thin Cuts	Saffron Exclusive Inks	Gold Shimmer Brush	Eggplant Exclusive Inks	Stitched Circle Thin Cuts
Thin 3D Foam Dots	Tombow Adhesive	Paper Trimmer	Micro-Tip Scissors	3D Foam Tape

 

Fall Moments

It is finally starting to look like Fall around here! I just returned from my annual Fall Crafting Retreat that I host each year, and noticed and many of the leaves are starting to turn, the weather is cooling, and I am ready for some pumpkin bread.  To get you in the “mood” for fall,  I showing you one of pages I created for this year’s Extravaganza using a few of our amazing new products from the Holiday Expressions.

The first thing you might notice is that gorgeous paper pattern.  Did you know that the Saffron paper comes from our Boutique collection?

 

Isn’t it just beautiful? I also chose to use Boutique Complements to add a few additional details to the layout. I just love that saying “Live for moments you can’t put into words”. This truly describes how we were feeling as we peered at the spectacular fall shades of trees and bushes against the cool waters of the Rocky Mountains.

 

As you can see I used those little “Washi” sticker strips and the Boutique Cardmaking Stamp Set to add a few more details onto the layout.

 

Don’t you just love those little sticker strips? I have used them for quite a few accents on my cards and layouts, along with our new Thin Cuts. We have TWO new sets for you this season that you will ♥LOVE♥.

 

I am adoring all the new TAGS we have available for you in the Fancy Tags Thin Cuts Bundle. On my layout, I chose to cut one in half and use it as an accent. The stitching on the Circle matched perfectly with the stitching that I created with the Decorative Borders Thin Cuts Bundle on other parts of the layout.

You can view all of these new products along with many others on my website. When you place an order during the month of September, you will receive a FREE Holiday Expressions with your order. It’s defiantly something you want to get your hands on – just keep some tissue near by to catch all the drool. 😉 I can’t wait to see what you create with all these amazing new products!

Documented Color Dare Card

This week’s Color My Heart Dare challenge requires us to use Blossom, Bashful, and Eggplant, so I chose to use up some more of my Documented papers to create this Double Triangle Fold card. These cards are super cute and simple to make.  I would love to see you try to make one using the instructions below and post it to the Color My Heart Dare challenge this week. 

Paper Needed: 8½” x 11″ Bashful Cardstock, 5½” x 4¼” Eggplant B&T (Documented)

Assembly Instructions:
1. Place the 8½” x 11″ Bashful Cardstock onto a score board or paper cutter in the “landscape” (horizontal) position and score at 5½”.
2. Place the 8½” x 11″ Bashful Cardstock onto a score board or paper cutter in the “portrait” (vertical) position, and score at 4¼”.
3. Position the Bashful cardstock in the paper trimmer diagonally, lining up the upper right corner and the lower left corner to the cutting “groove” and cut. This will give you TWO card bases.
4. Fold the right side over then fold the top down. Use a Bone Folder to burnish each fold.
5. Cut  5½” x 4¼” Eggplant B&T paper diagonally, upper right corner to lower left corner.  Adhere to the lower right corner of each card base.

From here, you can decorate the cards anyway you wish. I chose to use Blossom Ink, and the Documented Cardmaking stamp set to randomly stamp the card base, then after masking off the upper right triangle, I splattered “Shimmer” onto the card base using the Bashful Shimmer Brush. (THIS IS CURRENTLY ONLY $2.00!).  To finish the card base, I added a decorative border using the Scallop Border Thin Cut and Eggplant cardstock.

To create my sentiment I used the large Basic Circle Thin Cut to cut out a circle from the Floral PML card, added a few loops of White Ribbon behind it, and attached it using Thin 3D Foam Tape. (Only add adhesive to the top right side so the card still opens.) I cut another circle out of White Daisy cardstock using a large Stitch Circle Thin Cut, added a few swishes of Bashful Shimmer, and stamped the Documented Cardmaking sentiment in Black Memento Ink.  Attach with 3D Foam tape, add a few Documented Dots and it’s all done.

You can even choose to decorate the inside of the card, like I did, using additional Documented papers, White Daisy cardstock, and images stamped in Eggplant Ink. Add a little shimmer, write a note, and send it off. How simple is that?

Don’t forget, the Documented papers and Bashful products are available while supplies last through August 31st. Make sure to visit my website and snag them before they are gone for good.  I can’t wait to see what you create!

 

Small Stuff Spinning Card

Our August For the Love of Crafting stamp of the month is a must have for all crafters.  I personally enjoy all the crafty sayings especially “Enjoy the small Stuff”.  It’s the “small stuff” that makes us realize how blessed we are each day. Like when you come up with a cool card idea and it actually turns out the way you envisioned it or when you end up with an extra peanut in your M&M.  It’s those little things that you make you feel all happy inside.

This card was actually rather simple to create using the “Camera” image from the stamp set, our Thin Cuts, and some of our Documented products. I honestly wasn’t expecting the combination of Bashful and Peacock to go so well together, and am gratefully surprised by the outcome.

I will be creating more projects throughout the month using the For the Love of Crafting stamp set, so make sure to visit my blog, Instagram, and Facebook for more inspiration.  (I might even throw in a live class or two showing you how to make a few of them.)

 

Don’t forget, our For the Love of Crafting stamp set as well as the Documented products and Bashful Glitter Paper I used on this project are only available through August 31st.   In fact, almost all of our products Seasonal Expressions 2 and Annual Idea Book will be gone at the end of the month.  Make sure you grab them before they are gone. I can’t wait to see what you create!

 

 

Live Tutorials Coming Soon

I enjoy writing each weekly Tuesday Tutorial as much as you enjoy reading them, but sometimes it would be so much easier to show them to you. So, I have decided to start a Facebook Group called “Create with Miss. Carrie’s Creations” where you can view a few of my tutorials “Live” and enroll in some of my online workshops. Don’t panic! I will still be writing a few tutorials on my blog here and there, but I would love the chance to show you HOW I make some of my paper crafting projects.  Are you ready to find out what the first tutorial will be? 

My first “Live” class will show you how to create the amazing Inked Background on this Big Thank You card. Many of you have commented on my inked backgrounds and have asked me “HOW ” I make them. Well, here is your chance to learn!

Date: August 23rd
Time: 10:00am (MST)

You can come in your comfy clothes and learn how to create this card in my online class that will take place on my private Facebook group. To join the class, simply use this link to sign-up and I will send you an invite to the private class group, email you a supply list and a $5.00 invoice for the cost of the class. How easy is that?

What if you are working, or on vacation, or the kids start the house on fire during the class? You can still sign-up! Once you have paid for your class, you will be invited to the private group and will be able to view the live class for up to 30 days after the day of the event.  So grab a cup of coffee (or tea if you must), relax in your comfy clothes, and enjoy some crafting time with Miss. Carrie’s Creations.  I can’t wait to see what you create!