Quick and Easy Watercolor Card Set

I've been taking a watercolor class and one of the lessons was using watercolor as a background. So I pulled out my paint palette and used Freshly Made Sketch #205 to whip up this four card set in a matter of minutes.

I kept this card pretty clean and simple. I embossed the background with our new Confetti Stars Embossing Folder. The black strip is from the Paper Fundamentals collection. One side has a embossed background and the other is printed.

The stamp set is from Hello Life Cardmaking Stamp set. This set is part of the National Stamping special and is only available thru 9/30/15. You can see the three stamps sets available HERE.

Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful day!

~Michelle

Card Recipe (links to items used are in the item numbers):
Z3146 Watercolor Paper
Z3132 Watercolor Paints
Z3118 Paintbrush Set
1385 White Daisy Cardstock
Z3128 Paper Fundamentals Basic
CC1041 Hello Life Cardmaking Stamp Set (only available until 9/30)
Z2190 Gypsy Ink
Z2640 Thistle Ink
Z891 VersaMark Ink Pad
Ranger Black Embossing Powder (not CTMH)
Z555 Craft Heater
Z3119 Confetti Stars Embossing Folder
Z3190 Artiste Cricut Cartridge
Z1979 Marvy Uchida Journaling Pen

National Stamping Month Blog Hop

Welcome to the National Stamping Month Blog Hop! If you've arrived from Lauren Moore's blog you are on the right track! This month CTMH consultants will be showcasing a variety of projects using any of the three Hello Life stamp sets available.

Each stamp set is designed to fit with a specific type of papercrafting, whether that’s traditional scrapbooking, cardmaking, or pocket scrapbooking. However, all the stamp sets coordinate with each other and can be used together to create dynamic artwork. These stamp sets also coordinate with shapes from the new Cricut® Artistry collection to help expand your artwork options even further. 

For my project I am using the Pocket Scrapbooking stamp set in a different way and showcasing it on a card! I really like clean and simple, one layer cards and have had this design on my mind for awhile. This is card went to my hubby for our recent anniversary but a quick color change and it could easily be used for Valentine's Day. 

Inspiration Dress

The color scheme was inspired by my daugther's dress. I love how inspiration can strike anywhere and in everyday items! Sometimes we just have to remember to open our eyes and look around. 

Thanks for checking out my project. I invite you to hop to Nikka's blog and see what she's created. Remember, these stamp sets are available for one month only, so get your orders in for one stamp set—or all three—before these gorgeous stamps disappear! To place your order for this stamp set, or any of the items used to make this card, please visit your consultant's site or visit my shopping website HERE.

Card Recipe:
1385 White Daisy Cardstock
Z2641 Glacier Ink
Z2105 Black Ink
Z1912 Corner Rounder
CC1042 Hello Life - Pocket Scrapbooking 
Z3041 Oceanside Sequins


For a complete list of hoppers please visit Melinda's blog. Thanks for stopping by and have a fantastic day!

~Michelle Battitori

Merry Little Christmas Card

I had a lot of fun making this card today. It's based on Freshly Made Sketch #202 and features the brand new White Pines Paper Kit and Green Shimmer Trim.

This is one of the cards we'll be making at next Friday's (9/11/15) Holiday Card Buffet. For more details and to RSVP please visit my meetup.com page HERE.

Have a lovely weekend!

Michelle Battitori

2015 Holiday Card Buffet

The first of several Holiday Card-making sessions begins next Friday, 9/11 at 7 pm! In this session we'll mix old and new papers, stamps sets, and embellishments in this buffet-style workshop. The new Cut-Above card kits will be just one of the many stations available to create!

You'll have 2 hours to make as many cards as you like. All cards will be pre-designed and pre-cut for you. Simply bring your favorite adhesive (tape-runner, 3D Foam Tape, etc). The only "rule" is that you must completely finish the card before moving on to the next style.

The cost is $15 and will be held at my home in Northern VA. To RSVP please visit my meetup.com page HERE.

Want to see more styles offered? Please visit me on {Instagram} or {Facebook}!

Happy Friday,
~Michelle

New products & fresh artwork: our best idea books yet!

Welcome September! And a huge welcome to my two new additions...the 2015-2016 Annual Inspirations Idea Book and Holiday Expressions Mini!

Now that I have sports specials I'm continuing to add classes and workshops to www.meetup.com/manassas-papercrafters so be sure to check that often! Better yet, you can join the meetup group for free and never miss a workshop notice.

Take care and please let me know if you have any questions!

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	SEPTEMBER 2015 Brand New & Beautiful The day you've been waiting for is finally here! Shop for brand new products from our beautiful Annual Inspirations & Holiday Expressions idea books. » Say "Hello" to Life The limited edition My Acrylix® Hello, Life! stamp sets are only available during September. Get a great deal when you buy all three! » Gorgeous September Florals Add beautiful blossoms to any project with September's Stamp of the Month. » Thanks for reading! If you have any questions, feel free to ask your Close To My Heart Consultant: Michelle Battitori Close To My Heart Independent Consultant Close To My Heart 1199 W 700 S, Pleasant Grove, UT 84062 © 2015 CTMH Co. All rights reserved.

September SOTM Blog Hop - Paper Garden

Welcome to the September Stamp of the Month Blog Hop! If you've come from Lauren Moore's blog you are on the right path. This is a super special month at CTMH since it's the launch of the 2015-2016 Annual Inspirations book AND the first of the Seasonal Expressions Mini books. But, before I start sharing my favorite new products I wanted to feature the lovely Paper Garden Stamp Set, a set of 10 stamps.

The stamp set is simply drool worthy and I'm so excited to get a chance to play with it! I've been learning about silhouette photography lately and decided to take my learning to paper with this beauty of a card.

The color scheme was inspired by this month's Heart to Heart Challenge (it's a color challenge). The challenge colors are Topiary, Lagoon, Glacier, Sunset and Cranberry. I switched out Canary for Cranberry and added black. 

I think the stamp could be used for a variety of occasions (sympathy, love, friendship, birthday) so I opted to leave a sentiment off until I need it. What did you think? If you'd like to see a tutorial on how to make this card please let me know in the comments.

Now, I invite you to continue with the blog hop by visiting Lori Brown's blog!

If you are interested in purchasing the Paper Garden Stamp set please contact your CTMH Independent Consultant or visit my shopping webstore. The set is only available until the end of the month.

Card Recipe:
1385 White Daisy Cardstock
X5635 Topiary Cardstock
X5758 Sunset Cardstock
Z2191 Sunset Ink
Z2105 Black Ink
Z2641 Glacier Ink
Z2643 Canary Ink
Z2155 Topiary Ink
Z2195 Lagoon Ink
Z1938 Sponge Daubers
Z3019 Vine Embossing Folder
X254 Value Pack Cards & Envelopes White Daisy

If you find you get lost along the hop please visit Melinda's blog for a complete list of CTMH consultants participating in the blog hop.

Thanks for stopping by!

~Michelle Battitori

P.S. Do you want to see the new Annual Inspriations and Seasonal Expressions Idea books? You can view them for Free HERE or you can purchase them for $3 plus shipping.