Hey There Cupcake

Well after a very stressful week and a major change in life I decided it was time to get creative again. For those who just read my blog this last week I resigned as a CTMH consultant for a number of reasons which I don't need to go into here but this means my blog will change slightly. I will be able to use more none CTMH products more freely but don't worry I will still be using plenty of them as they are my no.1 stamping company. I hope to work on posting more tutorials and things on my blog. With product reviews and you never know I may even get into making my own video tutorials, if my daughter will loan me her video camera!

So that all being said my project today was cupcakes. Cupcakes are huge in scrapbooking and I love the set from CTMH called cupcake sprinkles (D1336). I have though been having issues with the icing on the cupcakes not looking yummy enough for me. That was until I was wandering around blogging world and came across someone using dimensional paint (sorry I can't remember where I tried hard to find the blog again but failed. I was sure I had booked marked it). So I went to Michaels and after a 10 minute search I found my paint hiding in the paint section near the spray paints. Just so you know what it looks likes here's a picture - I always find it easier when I know what something looks like.



I took the frosting stamp and using a light ink color I stamped the image on white card stock. Then I took the tube of paint and squeezed out a pea size blob of the paint and using a paint brush moved the paint around to cover the image and to look like icing looks of cupcakes, you know what I mean. To add sprinkles just drop some small seed beads of the color of your choice into the paint and gently press into the paint. I then left it to dry. The amount of time it takes will depend on how thick you make the paint but a couple of hours should see it dry to touch. I found that the card stock was the last thing to dry completely. When the whole piece was dry I careful cut out the image.



To complete my cupcake I stamped the cupcake case and cut this out. I mounted the frosting flat on the card but used foam tape behind the cupcake case to give the dimension I needed to make the finished cake look more realistic.



The final card is below. It's in the mail now to one of my daughters dancer friend who is away at a summer intensive. I hope she likes it. I had fun and I see more cupcakes in my future! At least these ones don't result in the extra pounds.

CPS Sketch Card

Another challenge card from the card positioning blog sketch CPS 118. I did two cards this time. The first one I was less than happy with, so I made another one. Not sure why I don't like it. I think it was the stamping on the juniper cardstock. But decided to share it anyways so you could see both versions and decide yourself. In the end the second one I prefer as its less busy. Colors are :-
Cocoa
Juniper
Sorbet
Tulip







Supplies all CTMH unless noted
D1361 Thank You
D1330 Connections
D1300 Circle Around
X7100B
Z1033 Just Blooms
Z1120 Winter Cozy Collection (Juniper Brad)
Z1100 Cocoa Grosgrain

Both the cards will be used by my daughter for teacher thank you notes for great year. Only 2 days left before school it out for the summer.

CPS - Card Sketch Challenge

I'm really trying as I said to do more challenges so here's another one. I love how people can create such different cards from the same sketch and that's what I love the CTMH card design books so much. I have been following the CPS blog for a few weeks now but this is the first time I've actually had the time to create the card. Didn't turn out exactly as I wanted but I think its works. Its a 6inch square card which provides lot of extra space to play with but then you have the problem of the envelopes. I need to hit Michaels with my coupon today to get some but not sure I will have time we've invited half the street for a grill at lunch! Well I'm off to prepare for the grill. Enjoy the Holiday.


Supplies (all CTMH unless noted):-
C1340 Aspiration
X7090B SILHOUETTE LEVEL 2 PAPER PACKET
X7090C SILHOUETTE My Stickease.
Z1033 Just Blooms Big Pinks
Z1147 Foundry Bookplates
Z1285 Holiday Craft Buttons (colonial white buttons)
Misc. Red and off white flower(not CTMH).

To see some other samples using the same sketch click here.

Color Inspiration #53

This week I was determined to get my card done for the color inspiration in time to post it. When I checked in to get the colors I was less certain about it. The colors this week are so not me. You know how colors just don't work well for you. Yellow is that color for me. I hardly ever use yellow and its only use is generally in very small amounts for centers of flowers etc. But I'm determined to do some more challenges so I took a sample of all the cardstock colors and laid them out in front of me. For a while they didn't speak to me and I thought I'd have to miss this week. But in the end primary colors spoke little boy and a little boy card was born.
The colors are Sunny Yellow, Holiday Red, Dutch Blue, Black and White Daisy - all CTMH. The stamps used are C1256 Little Boys (retired) and D1300 Circle Around - both CTMH. I stamped and edged both the Holiday Red and Dutch Blue pieces with images and then sanded the edges gently. Originally I didn't have the black photo hangers but the card was missing something so I added this and the piece of blue ribbon - who says ribbon isn't for boys!

So here it is - not sure when I'll use as I don't have much use for cards for little boys at the moment but you never know.

My First Circle Card

Circle cards are all the rage as far as I can see from my travels around the stamping blogs and magazines. Then "Wishes" arrived and its full of circle cards so I knew I had to make one. I also wanted to take part in the color challenge from the Kwerner Design blog that I did last week. The color challenge this week was :-














These are SU colors so I found the CTMH equivalents and went with creme brulee, crystal blue, vanilla cream, colonial white and bamboo. Unfortunately life took over and didn't get my card loaded last night before the deadline but still I can share for my blog readers, even though I can't win, I think its worth sharing. I hope you like it. The card is very similar to the one in the Wishes book - different stamps and colors but was so easy to put together that I think I'll be making more circle cards.

The stamp sets I used were sans alphabet (C1304), Argyle background (D1325) and Star Struck (D1237)

The day was so beautiful here in Texas that I decided to take my picture outside just for a change.

Color Inspiration Challenge

Decided to try my hand at a color challenge this week. I used the CTMH colors Chocolate, Hollyhock, Goldrush and White Daisy. I had seen a card by Jean Johnson which I really liked but want to add to a little bit more color so this seemed the perfect time to do it.

The stamps sets I used are from the May Stamp of the Month from CTMH - Be Yourself and the stamps which come with the Tinkled Pink special which CTMH is offering for National Scrapbook Month. Finally the birthday comes from the August Stamp of the Month It's Your Day - but this could be replaced by any birthday you have.

Graduation Card

Its that time of year when we need graduation cards. As we usually give some money or gift card as well as a card I decided to make this a card which combined the card and the ability to hold money or gift card.

I used Good Times Level 2 paper packet, Chocolate Alphabet Large (E1010), Condfidential (D1347), Reach for the Stars (B1321), Chocolate Ink. (All Close To My Heart products).





Want to learn how to make this card. I have 4 classes this month when I will be teaching it. Check out my schedule on my ctmh blog at www.ronnie.myctmh.com - if there's a class you can make email me to check that I have a spot available at ronniecrowley@prodigy.net. Otherwise how about hosting a class at home where I can teach you and your guests how to make this card.

Samples from new sets from CTMH

Thought I'd share another set of swaps I was involved in with samples from a variety of new sets included in the new catalogs. The slide shows a whole variety of styles and items. You've already seen my sample but still I thought it was worth sharing.

I hoping the weather this afternoon arrives and keeps us home as I have more samples I need to make. I was working on a workshop based around snapshots last night and want to be able to share this soon. I wish I had more time and energy to create but the end of the school year is always a challenge for me even with out the swine flu!

Carol Harris
Nicole Simmons
Tammy Paulson
Emma Ault
Carrie Burdette
Starr Bartlett
Lisa Moore
Ginger Manning
Ronnie Crowley
Christina Cox
Jody Skinner
Heather Snow
Melissa Robinson
Teri Baxter

Heather Dennis

Stephanie Sickler

Treetops and Buttons

So I'm stuck on my trees at the moment and decided to make another attempt at my tree card for the swap I'm in.

I think the buttons add so much dimension to the card its worth the effort. I thought about adding waxy flax through the holes but didn't have green so shelved that idea.

The design is based on one the designs from the originals card design book from CTMH.



CTMH has currently only the one card design book but in the new catalog we have our second one coming out Jeanette Lynton wrote on her blog - "It’s called “Wishes,” and it contains 109 brand-new patterns, which includes three complete “card workshops.” These “card workshops” are specifically designed to help you make bulk cards faster, simpler, easier. It also emphasizes unique ROUND card patterns and a template CD to make these circles spectacular. Imagine the fun of receiving a cool, round card! Even better, imagine the fun of creating one!"


These books really make your card designing easier. I get mine out all the time just to start off a design. Doesn't mean what I finish with looks anything like the design but it helps me get going. Other times I do a card exactly following the pattern. Never tried one of our patterns well now is the moment to try. Jeannette Lynton also shared one of the new patterns and you can check it out here - pattern. I'd love to see what you create!

Have a great day creating.

Treetops for my tree hugging friends - New for Summer 2009

My new stamps arrived this week from CTMH and I had a moment to play. Not my best card but Ok. I need to come-up with something more creative for this card for a swap but this was done in a few minutes I had to play. When I saw this set I fell in love. This is only one of the trees in the set and I'll be playing with the others thats for sure.