You mean the world....AHSC Sketch 141

Doesn't it seem like the minute one holiday is over we have moved onto the next one? It does to me and my card today might show how I feel, Christmas and New Years is done, onto Valentines but oddly I never set out to make a Valentines card, I just wanted to use a heart rather than the flower in the sketch below which led me to picking some cute pink papers and BAM!...a Valentine card!

Products Used:

Paper:
- Sweetheart (retired)
- Cotton Candy (retired)

Cricut:
- Art Philosophy

Ink:
- Cocoa

Stamp:
- S1601 - Beloved Bouquet

A simple, yet sweet card to start of the Valentine cards! I hope you enjoyed my project for Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge. Please join us here. 

Thanks for stopping by!
Brandi

Sparks - AHSC 132

I just adore this picture of my oldest with her face painted like a puppy from one of her Sparks meetings. She loves going to Girl Guides and just has so much fun learning from the different leaders and making new friends. 

Sorry for the blurred faces but I struggle with showing off my layouts and the protection of my girls privacy. They did not consent to me posting their image and they are not old enough so I blur their faces & names out. 

Products used:

Paper:

- Zoe

- Glacier and White Daisy card stock

Ink:

- Slate, Sorbet, and Sweet Leaf

Stamps:

- D1658 #makesmehappy

- D1647 Documenting Moments

Misc:

- Alphabet rub ons (Not CTMH; packaging gone not sure of manufacturer)

Thanks for stopping by and checking out my project for the Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge (AHSC) this week! Be sure to check out the rest of the design team and the other participants work. 

Until next time, happy crafting!

Brandi

Last Day of School - A H2H Challenge Sketch

Happy Monday! 

This week Heart 2 Heart challenges is bringing you a sketch challenge! I decided to use this sketch and make it into a scrapbook layout, I really love cards but I really need to get some photos scrapbooked too! The sketch is pictured below. This is actually only one page of the layout, the second page is below the sketch. 

Products used:

- Paper -  

- Chalk it up

- Card stock - Flaxen, Sorbet, Lagoon, and White Daisy

Cricut:

- Artbooking

- Art Philosophy

Ink:

- Black, Lagoon, and Honey

Stamps:

- B1407 - School is here

- D1556 School Years

Thanks for stopping by and checking out my project for H2H challenges this week. To see the rest of the design teams work, please stop by H2H to see some awesome projects!

Until next time....

Brandi

Sketch 100 from AHSC!

Hello!

Can you believe it, we are Sketch 100, wow time flies. I do not recall when I joined the Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge Design Team but I know it was in the Sketch 30 range so I have been around for a while but not quite the beginning, but still super proud of this group of talented ladies and thrilled to be creating along side and you all week after week!

To celebrate this milestone we are doing some blog love, so scroll down to see the details on how to enter to win some blog love!

Can you believe it; we have reached Sketch 100! Everyone at Atlantic Hearts Sketch challenge is so excited to celebrate this milestone with all of our followers and participants.

To celebrate Sketch 100 we will be giving our some blog candy and all you have to do is visit our fabulous design team members blogs and leave a comment on their design for Sketch 100 and you are entered. We will be drawing XX names at random from the comments. To increase your chances of winning, leave comments for all of the design team members! And to be fair, you can only win 1 time! Please invite your friends and family to join the fun!

Thanks again for being part of our challenge community and we are all looking forward to the next 100 fabulous sketches and your awesome creations!

Happy Crafting!

The Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge Design Team

Lauren Moore

Marie Flayer

Lisa Mensing

Linda Norman

Stephanie Keats

Wendy Coffman

Michelle Stewart

Kelly Janes

Candra Holmes

Linda Bzibziak
Barara-Ann Himmelman
Laura Davidson
Chris Lothian

Life is Sweeter....Mojo Monday #387

Hello friends!

I am here today with the odd Sunday post! I decided to play along with Mojo Monday this week and today is the deadline to post it so here we are with the odd Sunday post!

I have been playing with my Brushed scraps and I am coming up with some super cute, bright springy cards for one of my upcoming workshops! That means if you are following along at home, this is one of the designs we will be doing at a future workshop...sneak peak alert!

As I said, I have been using up some scraps while I wait for my order to arrive and this paper pack just seems to never end. I have done 2 full layouts (my layouts are always double page spreads, so really 4 full 12 X 12 pages!) and so far I have made 4 additional cards.  I know another consultant who found the same thing, this pack just kept going and going so if you are looking for a paper pack that will get you the most bang for your buck, this is the paper pack for you!

Products Used:

Paper: 

- Brushed

- White Daisy and Pixie

Ink:

- Slate

Stamps:

- A1170 - Doodled Designs

- M1053 - Sweeter with you

Cricut

- Art Philosophy

Thanks for dropping in, hopefully I can play along with more Mojo Mondays, I know the next few weeks will be crazy busy for me, but I am going to try to get some creative time in each day!

Happy Scrapping!
Brandi

Meeting Santa - H2H Challenges

Wowzers, here we are in December already, how the heck did that happen so quickly?

For our first challenge of December we have a Scrapbook challenge for you all. Scrapbook your favourite holiday. I chose to scrapbook something from Christmas because well, like so many others I just love the entire season of Christmas. I love so many holidays but well, it is December so Christmas is on the brain!

This layout is loosely based on the Sketch above, I flipped the pages around and moved a couple things, added a picture, resized the pictures, etc. but this is where I drew my inspiration from. 

Products used:

Paper:
- Pear and Partridge (retired)
- Olive card stock
- Cranberry card stock

Cricut:
- Art Philosophy

Silhouette Cameo:
- Abadi MT Condensed Font
- unknown font for "Meeting"

Bling:
- Red Glitter gems

Thanks for stopping by and visiting today!
Brandi

Target loves Canada - H2H Challenge

When the news broke that Target was coming to Canada I was so very excited. One of my favourite stores when I was home was Target and I will go on the record saying I spent WAY to much money there. 

I knew Target was coming but when I stumbled across a news article saying that the very first store had opened in Canada that day, in Guelph I had to go. It did not matter that the drive was over an hour long, I had to go. But NO, the husband said I could not go; not because he was being mean, it was just to late, the kids would be getting home from school and he had to get to work so unfortunately I would have to wait to get my Canadian Target fix. 

It took me a few days but I finally got to get to Guelph and to the first Target in Canada. The girls and I snuck away on the Friday of March Break week and we headed off to one of my favourite scrapbook stores in Cambridge and then off to TARGET! OMG OMG OMG....Target!

While there were some empty shelves and consumer complaints, I was the happiest girl ever. Then I got home and got word that the two local Target stores in my town were opening the following week so the happiness continued as there was going to be a Target just down the street from me once again....oh happy time! It has been over a year now has been in Canada, I am still a happy girl and it is my go to store for just about everything!

You will notice that this layout does not have any B&T (patterned) papers. The challenge for the November Scrapbook Challenge at Heart 2 Heart Challenges is no B&T papers. The title of my page is Target loves Canada. The Bullseye, heart and flag were part of their advertising campaign before opening here and since I love Target it seemed fitting. I made the bullseye using the Cricut Art Philosophy and the flag was made with a punch and my paper trimmer. 

Products used:

Paper:

- Card stock: White Daisy and Ruby

Cricut:

- Cricut Art Philosophy

Shimmer Trim:

- Red, Black and Silver

Washi Tape:

- Ruby Chevron Washi Tape

Punches:

- Maple Leaf (EK Success)

- Scalloped Border (Stampin Up!)

Thanks for stopping by and it is not to late to join us over at the H2H Challenges!

Brandi

Happy Fall - H2H Challenges

Happy Fally Y'all!

This week the challenge over at Heart 2 Heart Challenges (H2H) is to use your favourite tool. I used two. My favourite tools are my Cricut machine and specifically my CTMH cartridges, they truly are the only ones I use anymore. I also love my CTMH stamps. Like my Cricut they are so versatile. 

Products Used:

Paper:

- Caprice

Ink:

- Bamboo

Stamp:

- D1371 Many Thanks

Cricut:

- Cricut Art Philosophy

Thanks for stopping by and visiting. Try to be crafty each day!

:)

Brandi

Junior Kindergarten - AHSC #70

Here is my third (of four) back to school teacher cards. This one is for my littlest ones teacher, she is starting school for the very first time and will be in Junior Kindergarten. For those outside of Canada (and maybe even Ontario) our wee ones start Junior Kindergarten at age 4 and then go onto Senior Kindergarten at 5 and then onto grade one and so on....

I am so thrilled, my wee one is getting the same Kindergarten teacher that my oldest had and she is amazing, it will be easier to send my baby off to school knowing she is in such wonderful hands (but then again all of the teachers at my girls school are awesome!)

Now onto the card, this is my entry for the Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge Sketch 70. I loved this sketch so much this is actually my second card using this sketch, if you look back at my post from this last Monday used the same sketch but was for the Heart 2 Heart challenge. I just find myself drawn to this sketch and that is what I LOVE about this challenge site, the sketches are so easy to work with and adapt to anything. For all the products used just take a look below the pictures!

Products used:

Paper:

- Scholastic (retired)

- Outdoor Denim and Colonial White card stock

Ink:

- Outdoor Denim

- Chocolate

Stamp:

 - D1566 School Years

Cricut:

- Art Philosophy

Embellisments:

- Hemp (Stampin Up)

- Artisan Studs (retired)

Thanks for stopping by and please swing by and check out the other great designs from our Design Team!

Brandi

H2H Challenges - It is that time of year....

The most wonderful time of year....back to school time! We are T-minus 9 days until the wee ones are all back in school and we have a routine and order back in our lives. I always chuckle and think of an old commercial for the office supply company Staples had at this time of year, I did not have kids when it was popular and airing but I did get it and now that I have 3 school aged girls, I SOOOO get it. If you would like to see the commercial, you can view it here.

Now while I am super duper excited to see my girls off to school, they are actually more excited than I am. My youngest is starting Kindergarten this year and is so over the moon excited to start school, she has been there a lot with all the volunteering I do and seeing her sisters go off to school every day on the big bus, it has been to much for her to bear and now it is her turn to go. 

To start the year off on the right foot and to introduce myself to our girls new teachers I am making each of them a welcome back card so I can give them my information and a few tips on our girls and their personalities and quirks (they have quite a few quirks!)

Here is the first of the cards I have made so far. 

This card is my design team entry for the Heart to Heart Challenges. The theme this week was inspired by food and well I am not inspired by apples but it went well with this teacher card and an apple is a food, yeah this teacher card was inspired by apples....that is my story and I am sticking to it....tee hee hee!

To see more awesome work from the talented ladies over at H2H just click here.

Products used:

Paper:

- Scholastic (retired)

- Outdoor Denim, Ruby and Colonial White card stock

Ink:

- Ruby

Stamp:

- B1407 School is here

Ribbon:

- Burlap (retired)

Embellisments:

- Artisan Durables

Cricut:

- Art Philosophy

Thanks for stopping by today!

Brandi

Snuggle Time - AHSC #59

It is time for another great sketch from Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge! Once again I took the opportunity to get another layout done, YIPPEEE! I just love the feeling when I get pictures out of the box and into the scrapbook and while it is only one picture on this page, it is a layout and a memory preserved. 

This was a great memory, we were doing a family movie night at home one Saturday and one of our daughters climbed into my husbands lap to watch the movie and snuggle and then when things got a bit scary her older sister came over and joined in too. I just love seeing 2 of my 3 girls snuggling so contently watching their movie with their Daddy. It is these every day moments that I just cherish. 

I am so excited to announce that I have been asked to continue on as a member of the Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge. I was so thrilled as I was going into my last month of my 2nd 6 month term and I was going to really miss being part of the design team. 

Now, lets talk about this layout and the products used:

Paper:

- Caboodle (retired)

Misc.:

- Colour Seam Binding Ribbon (retired)

- Cricut Artbooking

- Cricut Art Philosophy

- Filigree Charms (retired)

- Moments Alphabet stickers (non CTMH)

Now I have to run, I need to get some sleep, I am on Field Trip duty with my 6 year old all day tomorrow so I need to get some stuff organized! 

Until next time, happy scrapping!

Brandi

AHSC - Cousins

One of my goals when I decided to join some design teams it was to motivate myself to get my work done and this week I was able to get another layout done. I have to admit, I need someone eeping me honest and working on my stash of pictures and when I can get some pictures scrapped it makes me happy. I love making cards but I am a scrapbooker at heart, it is who I am. 

This weeks sketch lent itself to a layout so I took advantage and did another 1 page layout. As I have said before, I typically you do not scrapbook one page layouts but there are a few events that I only have 1-2 pictures for so I am allowing myself to break out of my own biases and did what was right. 

This is a layout from when out girls met her cousins for the second time but really it was the first time. They did meet one other time but the girls were not living with us yet and they were coming over for one of their pre-move in visits and my husbands cousin and his family was visiting from Illinois. Since even being with us, meeting these additional people was a lot and they did not realize the significance of it. So when our family came back up to Canada for Thanksgiving and we got together for a play date it was like the first time they all met. The kids all got along famously and played so well together. In all the catching up and visiting it dawned on me that we did not get any pictures of the kids together and playing so at the last minute I snapped this picture, the one picture from our visit!

Products used:

Paper:
- Colonial White card stock
- Grace (retired)

Cricut:
- Artboooking
- Art Philosophy

Embellishments:
- Burlap ribbon
- Tan opaques

Adhesives:
- Liquid Glass
- Herma Dotto (non CTMH)

Thanks for stopping by! Be sure to check out other great designs from the Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge!

Until next time!
Brandi

PS...I am sorry about the quality of the picture, we were in the middle of a storm and I just could not get enough light anywhere to get a good shot to show off the deep rich colours of the papers. If we get a nicer day I will reshoot the picture!

It's a Banner Day!

This week at Heart 2 Heart challenges it is all about banners. Banners are all the rage right now and they make a project so easy as they are a quick go to for me! So this week it is only fitting we give banners their due. What will you create with banners?

For this project I used the scraps (literally) of the Cloud Nine card making kit, the metallic bakers twine and Sunset ink. i also used a Spellbinders die on this project. 

Thanks for stopping by!
Brandi

Take 5! - Heart 2 Heart Challenges

Happy Monday! It is time for another challenge and this week we are giving you permission to Take 5! We are not saying go take a break, quite the opposite get creating with the number 5 in mind. Your project could feature 5 of the same thing or 5 different things. You could really go for it and have a 5 somewhere on the project. 

On my project I am featuring 5 different things. 

1. Flags
2. Ribbon
3. Stamp
4. CTMH Art Philosophy
5. Epoxy bubbles

How do you Take 5? Come on over and join us at Heart 2 Heart Challenges and check out the design team for some inspiration!

Thanks for stopping by!
Brandi

AHSC #53 - Love

I am on a quest to use up some of my old paper packs, I have about 40 that I still have quite a bit of paper in it but not enough to do full layouts so it is my quest to rid my scrapbook room of this additional pile of paper and since it would go against everything a scrapbooker would believe in to throw it away I need to use it up so it is my goal to use as much as possible before the new CTMH catalog comes out and I add to my pile. Having said that, you might be seeing a bit of retired products over the next few weeks from me. T

We have a new sketch for the Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge and this card is rather special to me. I have 3 little girls ages 4, 5, and 6 that we are in the process of adopting and all 3 have shown an interest in scrapbooking since joining our family 2.5 years ago but my oldest and youngest have shown the most interest. While I am scrapbooking my oldest always seems to drift over and watch and she will sit with me for hours just watching me scrapbook or make cards but on this one she actually started moving things around and helping me with the placement of things. She stamped (for the first time) all the leaves in Sweet Leaf ink, she used Grey Wool ink to colour the colour seam binding. Her biggest contribution in my mind is that she suggested I colour in the word Love. I was going to leave it blank, just stamped in the Grey Wool ink but she thought I should colour it in and suggested that I do it with the Orange (Creme Brûlée) and the heart in pink (Blush) and she was right, it looked so much better. 

The best thing is when we were done with this card, she got the left over flowers and leaves (I always cut a few extras) and what did she do with them? She made me a card and told me she wants to scrapbook and make cards with me and for me forever because she loves me forever....how does that not just completely melt your heart? 

So here is my card...The paper is Lucy (retired) the stamp set is Girls Rock (which mine do by the way!), the ribbon is the colour seam binding coloured with Grey Wool ink, card stock is Creme Brûlée and Grey Wool and I used the Cricut Art Philosophy to cut out the flowers. And the love was coloured in with Blush and Creme Brûlée using the water colouring pen. 

Thanks for stopping by!
Brandi

Hearts - galore - AHSC #43

It is that time of the week again, time for the Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge I had fun making this card and I am so into layering these cute little hearts right now, this is my second card with these little hearts and this Amore paper. I am really loving this paper right now and not just because it is Valentines day and this paper is perfect for it but I love all the papers from it and here is the funny thing, this was from before my time as a customer or consultant with Close to my Heart and I got it FREE during one of CTMH's promotions where you get a free paper pack with a qualifying purchase and this was the pack I got. I have had it for over a year and kind of forgot about it as the paper showing did not speak to me as much as the rest of the pages, once I opened it up again it was love at first sight and I have been busy creating with it. It is keeping me entertained as I do not have any goodies from the new idea book yet…soon, very soon I will have those goodies!

Will you join us this week? How do you interpret this sketch? Join us this week for some fun over at AHSC

AHSC #39 - The Great Outdoors

I will admit it, I have become a Close to my Heart paper junkie, I buy every single paper pack they come out with and I find I use it more than anything else, I just love the ease of everything matching from the patterned paper, card stock, ink, markers, everything…

But every so often I need to break from my Close to my Heart addiction and use up some of my rather large stash of non Close to my Heart papers and today was one of those days. I broke out some Cosmo Cricut Happy Campers papers to do these cottage pictures. 

The first page of my 2 page spread is based off this weeks sketch from Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge; I have done a second page but it is not based on this sketch so it is shown at the bottom. 

I do have journaling on this second page, it is hidden under the picture on the lower right hand corner using one of the CTMH Flip Flaps….have I ever said I LOVE Flip Flaps? 

Will this be the week you join us at Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challege?

Thanks for stopping by!

Brandi

Artbooking Made Easy: Cross-Cartridge Collaboration (S01E11)

This video will help you get the most out of all of your Close to My Heart Cricut Cartridges. 





As always, if you have any questions about any of the projects shown, please just let me know I will be happy to help out.

Thanks for stopping by!
Brandi

A dream pop birthday

Like most Canadians; this weekend was especially busy and fun for our family. Not only did we get the family together for our annual Thanksgiving dinner, which was delicious, but we also got to celebrate my niece's 4th birthday. Below is the card I made for her and had so much fun using the bright bold colours which are a perfect match for her personality. 

I designed the card with the help of the Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge Sketch 25. I did adapt it a wee bit but hey that is the great thing about sketches, you can do that! Please join us at the Atlantic Hearts Sketch challenge, we love to see everyones takes on the sketches. 

Products Used:

Paper:

- Dream Pop (retired CTMH)

- White Daisy card stock

Ink:

- Black

Stamp Set:

- Card Chatter Birthday

Cricut:

- Art Philosophy (for the circle)

Other:

- Black Shimmer Tape

Thanks for stopping by!

Brandi